


Darkness Ascending

by TheWolfParadox



Series: Chasing Fate [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: #GhostsArePeopleToo, Action/Adventure, Cosmodrome, Crota's End, Earth, Exos, Fantasy, Friendship, Fyr being extra af, Gen, Ghosts, Guardians - Freeform, Hellmouth, Humans, Hunters, Mystery, Outer Space, Planets, Science Fiction, The Dark Below Expansion, The Moon - Freeform, Titans, Unrequited Crush, Vault of Glass, Warlocks, awoken - Freeform, but only kinda, fireteam, half of the OCs are Ghosts, i'm going so overboard on these tags lol, one sided Jade/Harley, raid, solving a mystery, teammates, the tags are long and will only get longer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-03-06 22:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 66,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13420611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWolfParadox/pseuds/TheWolfParadox
Summary: “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.





	1. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The Ishtar Sink region looms large in our surviving knowledge of Venus. Guardians come hunting the ruins of the legendary Ishtar Collective, a sprawling Golden Age scientific project. But the ancient ruins that brought the Collective to the Sink have awakened again." - Grimoire of the Ishtar Sink**

* * *

It was like being asleep. Like waking from a long dream. But had the dream ended or had it just begun?

Sensation pulled at his mind, drawing him closer to wakefulness. First was touch. He felt cold. Weightless. Was this death? Life? How could he know the difference? Were they different at all? Smell. The scent of darkness washed over him. He couldn't explain how he knew or why darkness had a smell, but it was there all the same, cold and heavy, weighing on his chest like a block of ice. Inhale. The smell of plants, of growing things. Of metal and stone. Exhale.

Where was he? He opened his eyes, panic constricting his chest when the darkness did not end. His eyes flicked back and forth, but the blackness was unchanging, uncaring. He tried to move, to get up, but his body did not respond. He focused on his ears. Muffled. As though a pillow was being pressed down over his ears. And yet... He could still hear something.

It was as if someone was shouting from a great distance, the wind pushing their words away before they could be interpreted. A blinding light shone suddenly, as though a fiery sword had cut through the darkness. He squinted against its harsh whitish-blue color. There was a shape. Something hovered there, beyond the light at the edge of his vision. He forced his limbs to move, to respond. He sat up with a rush. The light dimmed and he could see.

It was a large cavern of some sort, supported here and there by crumbling pillars overrun with moss and strange vines. Metal crates were scattered around, some pushed up against the stone walls as though they were trying to break through. A foot of water covered most of the floor. That explained the weightlessness, the cold. A small object hung in the air in front of him, its glowing blue eye the only source of light in the room, reflecting off of the water below.

He attempted to speak but was met with only a strange croaking sound. He frowned and cleared his throat a few times before trying again. "Wh-what're...you?"

The thing in front of him blinked. "I am a Ghost," it spoke with a strangely metallic voice, "I'm _your_ Ghost now, actually."

"...What?"

" _Ghosts_ are a form of artificial intelligence created by the Traveler to seek out new Guardians."

He put a hand to his head, heedless of the water dripping off of him. "Whoa."

"Yes. It might be a little much to understand at first. You have been dead a long time."

" _What_?" _Great job. 60% of your vocabulary is 'what.'_

The 'Ghost' sighed. "I can tell this is going to take a while... What is your name, Guardian?"

He thought for a few moments before he was struck by a rush of realization. "...Fyr Allerton."

The Ghost blinked at him again. "Your name is _Fire_? As in flame-fire?" It sounded skeptical.

He shook his head. "Nope. It's actually spelled F-Y-R..." He stood up, listening to the sound of more water dripping into the puddle with faint _plinks_. "Where am I? Also, why is it flooded?"

"You are underneath the Ishtar Academy on Venus. As for why it's flooded, well, that's just how it's always been."

" _Venus_? Like the _planet_?"

"Yes. To put this all in a nutshell: I am an AI called a Ghost, _you_ are the Guardian I revived from the dead, which was made possible by the Traveler."

"...So this _isn't_ a dream?"

"No. You see, the Traveler came to the solar system and brought a Golden Age for all of humanity. Then the Darkness came, causing the Collapse which was pretty much the destruction of everything. Then the Traveler created Ghosts to find Guardians to fight for the side of the Light."

Fyr rubbed his head. "Dude, I think you might've just given me a brain overload." He looked at the Ghost. "Let me get this straight... _you_ brought me back from the _dead_?"

"Yes."

"So I'm a zombie?"

"...It's more complicated than that."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know. I woke up in the 'more complicated.'" He looked around at his dismal surroundings. "How'd I wind up here? This place smells like the inside of someone's shoe."

The Ghost shrugged. Its version of a shrug anyway. "You must have died here... Don't you remember anything from your past life?"

Fyr frowned, but aside from his name, he was just drawing a whole bunch of blanks. "Sorry, no." He winced and massaged his temple. "Think I gave myself a migraine, though." He dropped down onto a crate. "So why am I on Venus and not Earth?"

"The Traveler made many planets habitable during the Golden Age. Mars, Mercury, Venus, and the Moon all have human colonies... Or had them at some point."

"So why am I down here all alone? Shouldn't there be some other people around here?"

"Most of the colonies were overtaken by other alien races during the Collapse. What remains of humanity is on Earth, in the Last Safe City protected by the Traveler."

"Dang. Guess that's the party zone, then... Are there other Guardians?"

"Yes. The Guardians are based at the Tower in the City. There used to be a great many, but that number has since been reduced."

"How come?"

"Well, Guardians can't die, but-"

"Wait. You mean I _can't die_?! That's awesome!"

"You can't die as long as there is Light. Without the Light, I cannot revive you... You also can't be revived if _I_ am killed."

Some of Fyr's excitement drained away. "Is that what happened to the others, then?"

"Not exactly... You see, around 6 years ago, us Ghosts stopped finding Guardians with enough Light left to revive. Ever since then, any Guardians we've lostâ€¦well, there haven't been enough new recruits to balance them out."

Fyr frowned. This stuff was barely making sense to him. _Brain must be on the fritz._ He returned his focus to the Ghost. "So if there haven't been any new super zombies...how am _I_ here?"

"Well, this place used to be a Darkness Zone: somewhere with no Light... My guess is the Darkness' hold on this place was broken, allowing me to find your Light."

Fyr whistled. "That was lucky... I like being alive better." Not that he really remembered what being dead felt like.

"You still aren't safe here," said the Ghost, "Plenty of enemies dwell on Venus. We need to find you a weapon."

Fyr grinned and nodded. "A weapon... I like the sound of that."

The Ghost expanded, sending waves of light throughout the room. When it came back together, it said, "There should be a hand cannon in that crate over there."

Fyr shrugged, walking to the crate the Ghost had indicated. He wasn't sure what a 'hand cannon' was, but he liked the sound of the cannon part. Reaching into the crate, he withdrew a gun. It was on the small side, no longer than his forearm. He frowned. "Would've preferred something more powerful... Like a bazooka for instance."

"Hand cannons may look small, but they pack a punch," said the Ghost.

"If you say so..." He turned back. "So am I just supposed to call you 'Ghost'? Cuz no offense, but that's kinda lame."

"You can give me a name if you wish."

Fyr tapped his chin. "Hmm..." The Ghost's voice sounded male, so he was pretty sure it would want a male name. He grinned as an idea came to him. "Got it! How 'bout Spark?"

The Ghost remained silent.

Fyr raised an eyebrow, grinning at him. _Come on. You_ know _you like that name._

"Very well. You may call me 'Spark'... If I might ask, what made you choose that particular name?"

Fyr shrugged. "I mean, my name's Fyr so it seems kinda appropriate for you to be named Spark."

Spark sighed. "So you named me after yourself. Wonderful... I can just tell what it's going to be like to be your Ghost."

Fyr nodded, smiling. "Pretty freakin' awesome, right?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! I'm happy to introduce the sequel of Herald of the Machine World. You might be thinking "Wow that was fast!" You'd be wrong. I knew before I started HMW that there would be a sequel. In between chapters, I was busy thinking up ideas for a storyline. For all my new readers: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE READ THE FIRST STORY TO READ THIS ONE. This story can stand alone, but of course, it's easier if you've already read HMW.
> 
> I was debating on whether I should wait for this weekend to upload. My mind was made up for me by one of my readers on Twitter. If you're interested in following me, my handle is @ArcaneGlitch. I mostly post about D2 but story stuff will be there as well.
> 
> But enough of that! I'd like to hear your opinions on the first chapter of the sequel. Was anyone thrown off balance by the beginning? I LOVE READING COMMENTS SO DON'T HOLD BACK :D Also any questions you ask, I'll be more than happy to answer.
> 
> See you in the next chapter!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	2. Long Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The situation is degrading into a race against time. We must claim the Collective's ruins for our own - and hope they will warn us what other threats now rise from Venus' acid seas and ancient stone." - Grimoire of the Ishtar Sink**

* * *

 

Jade woke up suddenly, jerking upright. She blinked the fog from her eyes and looked around, assessing her environment as she got to her feet.

The place looked almost like a library, full of shelves and balconies. However, most of it had been overrun by plants and everything had a weathered look to it. She turned around and stepped back. A stone statue towered over her, cracked in many places. It's featured were almost weathered away, but it seemed to depict a winged woman with a horseshoe held aloft, as though she was presenting it to some unseen deity. But that was not all. At the statue's feet, and scattered all over the room were the bronze metallic husks of vaguely humanoid shapes.

Jade knelt down for a better look. They were made completely out of metal and seemed to only have one eye, a faded glass bulb in the middle of their heads. Many had weapons clutched in their hands, as though they had died fighting in a great battle. They looked old, not as old as the rest of the place, but she could safely assume they'd been lying here for quite some time.'

"Hi!"

Jade nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around, looking for the source of the unexpected greeting. Her eyes landed on a small metallic shape floating in front of her. It was red with an electric blue eye, and it seemed to rotate as it looked at her. "Hello?" Jade asked carefully.

"Great! You _can_ talk!" Its voice was female and oddly cheerful-sounding.

"Who are you?"

"I'm a Ghost, of course. And _you_ are my Guardian!"

"Sorry, I'm a _what_?"

"A Guardian. A warrior brought back from the dead to fight for the Traveler and the Last Safe City."

"Ok… And what is this place?"

"This is all that remains of the Ishtar Academy. It was once the jewel of Venus."

"Venus? I thought the air on Venus wasn't...breathable."

"It wasn't. Not until the Traveler came and terraformed most of the planets in the solar system."

Jade's breath hitched. _Traveler...terraforming planets...Venus...Ishtar Academy..._ "That sounds familiar…"

"The Traveler has been around for centuries. Everyone in the solar system has heard of it."

Jade shook her head. "That's not it…" _Not exactly…_ Something was trying to come through. A memory. _News...Mars...spaceship...Traveler..._ "...The Ares mission in the twenty-first century!"

"What?" asked the Ghost.

"The Ares One mission. It was a famous historical event. A team of astronauts was sent to Mars to make first contact with the Traveler…" Jade wasn't sure where she'd heard the information before, but she felt sure that it was right.

"How on Earth do you know that?" the Ghost asked.

Jade just shook her head, confused. "I don't know. I must have learned it somewhere before… You said you brought me back from the dead, right? Is it possible that I could be remembering my past?"

The Ghost's answer was uncertain. "I'm not sure. It's pretty rare for a Guardian to remember anything. What else can you remember?"

Jade frowned, concentrating. Images flashed through her mind. Vague flickers at first, but then they became clearer. _House...ocean...blue sky..._ "I must have grown up on Earth! No other planet looks like that"

"Earth? That would mean you grew up during the Golden Age!" said the Ghost excitedly.

Jade looked up. She'd almost forgotten the Ghost was there. "Yeah, it's coming back to me now... Slowly."

 _Earth...Traveler...technology..._ She sat down on the statue's pedestal, resting her head in her hands.

The Ghost hovered closer. "Are you ok?" It sounded concerned.

"I'm fine, it's just... a lot. Everything's changed so much from what I knew…"

"Maybe if you talk about what you remember, your other memories will come back faster," said the Ghost helpfully, "Do you remember anything that would indicate which part of the Golden Age you lived in?"

Jade thought back. _Project...research...Mars...Bray..._ "I remember doing a... historical science project on the founding of Clovis Bray. I...wanted to be a scientist when I grew up and I was interested in Doctor Willa Bray's development of the first matter-encryption process through the fourth state of matter."

"What about the Exos? Warminds? Were they around?"

 _AI...orbital destruction..._ "Of course, but that was... _years_ before I was born."

"What about the Ahamkara?"

 _Wisdom...promises...dragons...stories..._ " _Ahamkara_? They're nothing but an old myth. My...father used to tell me ghost stories about them."

"I think I'm getting a better understanding of where you're from. Do you remember what the Exos were like?"

 _Robots..._ "They were an artificial intelligence… No one knows why they were created."

"But did they have personalities? Were they like people?"

Jade was put off by the Ghost's line of questioning. She wasn't sure what it was getting at. _Metal...circuits...wires..._ "Not that I knew of. They weren't much more than robots."

"Hmm… From what you're telling me, it seems like you grew up sometime between 2230 and 2260. It looks like you'll have some catching up to do."

"Why? What year is it?" The Ghost hesitated and Jade felt her chest tighten. _It_ _knows I won't like what it's about to say._

The Ghost sighed. "I'm so sorry…but we are more than a decade into the twenty-ninth century now…"

Jade felt as though someone had dunked her in ice cold water. Her eyes fixed on the far wall as she attempted to process what the Ghost had said. She held up her hands in front of her, studying them. They didn't _look_ like the hands of a skeleton. _How could I have been dead for_ six _centuries?_ She realized with a pang of sorrow that everyone she'd known was most definitely dead now. _My friends...my family…_ She knew she should be grateful for her second chance, but she couldn't help but wish everyone else had gotten one too.

She looked up, noticing that the Ghost was still watching her with pity...if an AI could feel pity. She sighed. _Pity won't help me right now. Nor will feeling sorry for myself. I should concentrate on the present. Everything else can wait._ She took a breath, centering herself, then turned back to the Ghost. "What happened after the Golden Age?"

The Ghost's eye blinked uncertainly, but Jade held its gaze and it seemed to nod. "After the Golden Age came...the Collapse." It shuddered. "Sorry, I don't like talking about it… In the year 2400, the Warmind Rasputin detected an incoming force heading for our solar system... It was the Darkness, the Traveler's ancient enemy. The Warminds attempted to fight it, but almost all of them were defeated."

Jade felt disbelief flood her. _The Warminds were_ defeated _?_ The AI network built to protect humanity had been in place long before she was born. She wasn't keen to meet anything that could overwhelm _them_. She nodded at the Ghost to continue.

"When the Collapse occurred, everyone attempted to flee the Earth, but many were left behind. The ones that made it out were caught in the shockwave in the Asteroid Belt. The survivors became the race known as the Awoken."

 _Awoken..._ "Do they still live out there? Among the asteroids?"

"Yes, they call their home the Reef and they are governed by a Queen… Also, Ghosts were created around this time to find and revive special individuals to fight for the Traveler. Guardians. The system was plunged into a Dark Age immediately following the Collapse. The remnants of humanity were scattered across Earth and all the planetary colonies were thought to be lost."

Jade shivered. The idea that one event could change so much, rip people's' lives away… It was unimaginable. _All those colonies… All those_ people _._ "So what happened to them? Everyone still on Earth?"

"The First Guardians began to guide them. They wandered the land in hopes of finding the Traveler. During this time, an alien race called the Fallen arrived in the system and began to loot and pillage. They attacked survivors and burned cities to the ground. At some point, the Vex conquered Mercury, turning it into a machine world in a matter of days."

 _Robots...killing machines...aliens...Venus..._ "The _Vex_? The same ones discovered on Venus during the Golden Age?"

"Yes. And that is not all. Another race called the Cabal landed on Mars and created the Exclusion Zone: an almost impenetrable defense line."

 _Mercury...Venus...Earth...Mars..._ "So there are aliens on nearly every planet?"

"Pretty much… After the Dark Age came the City Age, around fifty years later, when what remained of humanity found the Traveler and the Last City was founded beneath it. It was later attacked by the Fallen at the Battle of Six Fronts, but the Guardians held them off and kept the City from being destroyed. Around a century later, the Reef Wars began. An unknown Fallen leader united the various Fallen Houses to attack the City, as in Six Fronts. However, the House of Wolves, one of the largest Houses, were intercepted by the Awoken Queen. She destroyed the dwarf planet Ceres where the Wolves were stationed and killed their Kell - their leader. The remainder scattered into the Belt, later to be hunted by the Awoken. Despite their absence, the remaining Houses proceeded to continue with their invasion but were fought off by the Guardians at Twilight Gap. At some point after this was the Battle of Mare Imbrium on the Moon between the Guardians and another alien race called the Hive. It was a great tragedy. Hundreds, if not thousands of Guardians were slain there..."

 _Battle? The Moon was lost?_ "Did we ever manage to take the Moon back?"

"Um, there was a recent effort... Just a few years ago, survivors of Mare Imbrium gathered a fireteam and entered the Hive fortresses on the Moon. But they...never came back... More recently, the Reef Wars ended when the Queen of the Awoken became the Kell of Wolves and assumed their loyalty... That's about the last major event up until now."

 _Guardians disappeared on the Moon? The Fallen attacked the City_ twice _? The Awoken destroyed a_ planet _?_ Jade rubbed her forehead. "So that's _everything_ that happened?" She couldn't believe how much had changed since her time - how long the Guardians had been fighting. _Whole_ centuries _of battling the Darkness._

"Not even close!" said the Ghost, "Those were just the most _major_ events."

Jade groaned. She'd never had to take in so much information on such short notice before. So many struggles, so much tragedy had happened. _How am I supposed to keep up with it all? I'm just one Guardian, and I'm not even completely sure what a Guardian_ is _yet._

As she glanced up and caught sight of the Ghost again, a thought occurred to her that completely pulled her mind away from its earlier subject. "...I don't think I ever got your name," she said.

The Ghost whirred, spinning its shell. "Most Ghosts don't have names, just numbers and letters… So you can call me 4."

"4?" Jade was bewildered, "That's not even _close_ to a name."

"...It may not be, but it is all I have."

Jade shook her head. "No. I'm going to give you a name. A _better_ name. After all, we're supposed to work together, right? ...Ghosts and Guardians?"

"Absolutely!" The Ghost suddenly slowed, sounding ashamed. "I never asked you your name. I'm sorry. I was just so excited about finding you…"

Jade smiled. "That's ok. My name's Jaedryth Wrythal, but I prefer Jade."

"Jade… I like that name!"

"Thank you. Now a name for you… I think I'll call you Delta… I had to take an ancient history class to get credit so I could pursue my research, and delta is a letter from the Greek alphabet. It means 'the fourth.'"

"I love it! It sounds much better than 4!"

"I'm glad you like it..." Jade stood up and looked around again. "So this is Ishtar Academy… You know, I used to dream about seeing this place. Now...it all just seems so far away. Everything's crumbled and turned to ruin, but I'm still here. It's so...surreal."

She walked over to more of the alien bodies she'd seen when she woke up. _I can't believe these are the_ Vex _. The same Vex they discovered here all those years ago… I wonder what killed them?_

"Uh-oh."

Jade turned to see Delta scanning their surroundings. "What's wrong?"

Delta moved closer to her. "I'm detecting traces of Vex presence."

 _What?_ "There's Vex all around us."

Delta shook her head. "These are live signals… I think the Vex know we're here."

Jade's insides froze. She had never met the Vex and she didn't want her first encounter to happen now. She'd heard a lot of descriptions, none of them good. 'Murderous robots' was a term she'd come across too many times for comfort. "What do we do?"

"There is a tunnel at the other end of the room," said Delta, "We need to head that way… Hold still."

To Jade's amazement, the Ghost vanished before her eyes, disappearing in a blink. "Where'd you go?"

"Don't worry. I'm still here."

Jade's head whipped around, but she saw no sign of Delta anywhere.

"I melded my Light with yours. I'm incorporeal right now. It makes it harder for enemies to target me when we're in combat."

"Why would they target _you_? Wouldn't it make more sense to go for _me_?"

"Not with Guardians. If _you_ die, I can bring you back."

Jade understood. "You're saying that if they kill you, I won't be able to come back if I die."

"Yes. Now don't...move."

"Um...why?"

Delta was silent for a moment. "There! You can move now. I was fabricating a helmet...just in case. You don't have to wear it until we find a ship."

"What? How?"

"I gathered materials from the surrounding area. That's also how I made your armor! ...Usually, I'd be more than happy to answer your questions, but we really should get moving."

"Right. The Vex." She made her way to the opposite wall, instantly seeing the hole Delta had mentioned. She stopped and looked down.

"Not to rush you, but the Vex are almost here!"

Taking a deep breath, Jade descended into the tunnel. Instantly, her chest tightened and her heart rate increased, creating a drumming in her ears. _It's...really dark. Are there Vex down here?_

"Are you ok?"

Jade banished the thoughts from her mind. She gave a tight smile. "I think so… This tunnel might just take some getting used to."

"I'm sorry… The tunnel widens ahead. It's not very long."

Sure enough, after a few more feet, the tunnel opened up into a much wider space. _This isn't so bad._ Jade scanned the darkness, but could barely make out anything in the gloom. "At least it's better than being back there with the Vex," she muttered.

"You'd better keep moving... The Vex are still coming!"

Jade took a couple cautious steps forward and found herself stepping into water. _Wow, that's cold!_ Luckily it wasn't very deep and didn't even reach her knees. She was about to continue when she heard a splash from up ahead. It was small, but not small enough for her to think she'd imagined it. _Vex?_ She gulped.

"Delta? I think there's something in here with us..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I was planning to wait a bit before uploading the second chapter but I was really excited so that idea went out the window. It will be some time before the third part comes out, though, as I'm planning to upload it on Wednesday. 
> 
> In other news, I'd like to know more about what you guys think so far. How did you imagine the sequel would start? What do you think will happen in future chapters? I love hearing opinions and predictions, so by all means, flood the comment section! ;)
> 
> Until the next time
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox
> 
> P.S. Name pronunciation:
> 
> Fyr (fie-er) Allerton (al-ler-ton)  
> Jaedryth (jay-drith) Wrythal (rie-thall)
> 
> Also, sorry for all the expedition dumping. It warms up in the third chapter.


	3. The Collective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Sunlight starves. The fierceness chills and thins and runs sweet. A new ocean emerges, thick and salty and hot, from springs and geysers that drench the dead ground." - Ghost Fragment: Venus**

* * *

 

Fyr crouched behind a crate, listening. He looked over his shoulder at Spark. "You think I've gone off the deep end, don't you?"

The Ghost shrugged. "All I'm saying is I did not hear whatever you heard."

Fyr turned back. "Well, that's too bad cuz I'm not crazy. There was like, some mad splashing over there."

Spark sighed. "Please tell me you aren't going to be this paranoid all the time."

"Shh!" Fyr hissed. " _Listen_."

The splashing was back, and it sounded closer this time. _Whatever it is, it's coming this way._ He readied his hand cannon. _Well, it better watch out, cuz it's about to run into a super-powered zombie that totally knows how to use a gun... And his sidekick: a glowing floating ball._

Spark hovered closer. "...I hear it now."

"See? _Told_ you I wasn't crazy."

The Ghost sighed again. "Fine. I'm sorry for doubting your sanity. Whether I'm right to doubt it remains to be seen."

"I think you're confusing 'insane' with 'insanely awesome.' ...On a completely different note, do you have any idea what's coming?"

"If I do a scan, it's going to know we're here. I suggest you ambush it when it gets close enough...assuming you _know_ what an ambush is?"

"Wow. My own Ghost is throwing shade at me. I know what an ambush is! Y'know, they used to call me the ambush master."

"Who is 'they?'"

Fyr shrugged. "I dunno. _Them_." He was really enjoying bantering with Spark. _So glad my Ghost isn't boring..._ _Ok. Concentration-time._ He tilted his head. The creature, whatever it was, was almost upon them. _Right. Here we go. Taking it down. 3..2..1!_

He jumped out from behind the crate with a yell, only to collide with something and fall backward, sending a wave of water crashing into his face. He coughed and spluttered, blinking the water out of his eyes as he searched for the hand cannon that had fallen somewhere next to him. "Aw crap! Where'd it go?!"

Suddenly another wave of water splashed onto him. He coughed again.

"What the _hell_ was that for?!" a female voice demanded. It sounded like it was coming from right in front of him. Clearing the water from his eyes again, he looked up.

A figure was sitting in front of him, dripping wet. He blinked a couple more times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. _Nope._ Someone sat across from him in the water, glaring. It was hard to see details with just the light from his Ghost, but he could make out a few things. Her hair was dark brown, coming to the bottom of her jaw. Bangs slanted across the right side of her face. It was hard to make out her eye color, most likely brown also. Her face looked to be petite, yet well defined. In short, she was _smokin'_.

She splashed him again and he held up his arms in front of his face in an attempt to block the water. "Whoa! Why're you splashing me?"

"Because _you_ knocked me over!"

Fyr frowned and got to his feet. He held out a hand to help her up, but she ignored it, standing up on her own. "I didn't _mean_ to run into you! I thought you were some weird...space...thing."

She frowned at him. "Who _are_ you?"

Fyr smirked and bowed. "Fyr Allerton, at your service."

Her expression shifted to incredulity. "' _Fire_?' What kind of a name is _that_?"

"An amazing one. Spelled F-Y-R, by the way. And it _is_ pronounced 'fire,' but if you call me 'fear,' that's ok too." He winked. She ignored it.

"I'm Jaedryth Wrythal but I go by Jade."

"Wrythal, huh? That's a pretty snazzy name. You could go into the show business."

She opened her mouth, probably to retort, when her eyes fixed on something behind him. _Shoot! Did a space monster sneak up on me?_ He turned and saw his Ghost hovering there. "Oh yeah, sorry. Jade, this is Spark. Spark, Jade."

"Hello," said Spark, shell spinning.

Jade frowned, looking confused. "You have a Ghost?"

Fyr was surprised. "You know what Ghosts are?"

"Yeah. I have one too." A Ghost materialized at her side, making Fyr jump. _I did_ not _expect that._

"This is Delta," said Jade, "Delta, this is Fyr and Spark."

Spark flew forward a few feet. "4?"

The other Ghost seemed taken aback. "C-9? Is that _you_?"

"Looks like we both found our Guardians," said Spark, "In the same place, no less."

Jade's Ghost did a flip. "I can't believe it's you!"

Fyr looked back and forth between them. "You guys know each other?"

Spark looked at him. "All Ghosts know the other Ghosts in the Tower... 4 and I are more familiar than most because we often ended up on the same assignments."

"Yep! I go by Delta now though."

"Right. Sorry."

"And you're Spark..." said Jade, looking between Fyr and his Ghost. "I'm sensing a theme."

"That's Fyr for you... Hold up. I'm picking up Vex!"

Jade whirled around and Fyr looked past her toward the end of the tunnel where several glowing red lights had emerged. "Gah!" He ducked back behind the crate as they started shooting. Red bolts flew past, whizzing by his head. _If I could just find that hand cannon..._ He leaned out and felt around with his hand, hoping to find the gun.

"...I'll be going now," said Spark before he vanished from sight.

Fyr looked on, astonished as Delta did the same thing. He passed his hand through the space his Ghost used to occupy. "Spark? Where'd you go?"

"Relax," said Jade, who was crouching next to him, "He's still there. Ghosts do that so they can't be hit when we're in battle. Delta told me."

"Huh. Well, _that_ would've been nice to know." Finally, he found the gun and pulled it out of the water. "Aha! Let's see how they like _this_!" He leaned out. The aliens were getting closer. Even as he watched, one blinked out of existence only to reappear a few feet closer. "Oh crap. They teleport."

"What are you waiting for?!" Jade hissed.

Fyr took a breath. "Ok. Here goes nothing..."

"Aim for the white spots," Spark suggested.

"Weak spot? _Nice_!" He leaned out, aiming for a spot just below the first alien's chest that was glowing white. He pulled the trigger, nearly falling backwards. "Whoa. You were right. This thing _does_ have a kick."

"At least you hit it. One Goblin down. Three to go."

Fyr took another shot, sending a second Vex crashing to the ground. "Goblin?"

"That specific type of Vex."

"...Classy." He shot down another one. "Ok...one more." _Bang!_ He stood up and pumped his fist. "Yes! Who's the greatest alien slayer there ever was?!"

Jade stood up and brushed herself off. "We should get moving. Delta says more are coming."

"She is right," said Spark, "Also, you used up all your ammo on those Goblins."

"Oh... Yeah, we should go. Which way?"

"That way," said Jade, pointing in the opposite direction the Vex had come from.

"Alright. After you, m'lady."

She sighed and moved to go in front of him. They splashed through the tunnel, weaving around debris and plants. Finally, Fyr caught sight of a brightness up ahead. "Check it out. I think we found our exit." They clambered out of the hole and into blinding sunlight. Fyr straightened up, blinking. "Whoa."

They were standing at the entrance of a massive structure looking out over the landscape of Venus. Spark appeared next to Fyr's head. "This was the site of Ishtar Academy."

"What's Ishtar Academy?"

"It was a great place of learning," said Jade, stepping up beside him. Delta floated next to her. "The Ishtar Collective built it a long time ago to study the Vex."

 _She seems bummed out about something_ , Fyr thought. He decided not to pry and instead chose to pursue a different concern. "How the heck're we supposed to get off Venus?"

"Finding a ship should be no problem," said Delta brightly, "Guardians used to visit quite a bit before the revivals stopped. Now not as many stick around but there are bound to be ships left behind."

"Well, then let's find 'em!" Fyr looked around. "Which way are we going?"

"There is an old Guardian outpost further down the coast," said Spark, "That's our best bet."

Fyr looked at Jade. "What do you think?"

She shrugged. "I trust the Ghosts."

He nodded. "Ok. We'll head that way... Onward!"

* * *

Fyr and Jade stared at the tangle of wires hopelessly. "I'm not an electrician," said Jade.

"Well don't look at _me_. I can barely work a radio," Fyr replied. He looked at the Ghosts. "Can either of you fix this?"

Spark scanned the system. "I don't know," he said, "It hasn't been used for transmitting in many years. Even if we _could_ get it broadcasting, I doubt the signal would be strong enough to make it off-planet."

"But isn't it worth a _try_?" asked Fyr.

"He's right," said Delta, "Any signal is better than no signal... If we work together, we should be able to fix it!"

Spark sighed. "Ok... We'll try."

"Great!" Delta flew over and both Ghosts sent out a blue ray of light.

Within a few minutes, the screens lit up and text began to scroll past. Spark studied it, then gave another sigh. "It's just as I thought. The signal isn't strong enough to extend past Venus."

"What do we do now?" Jade asked.

"We can't stay here, right?" said Fyr, "I mean, won't it be night soon?"

Jade sighed. "No, it won't. Venus rotates every 243 days... Here, 'days' are longer than 'years.'"

"Oh man, sounds fun."

"At least we aren't here during _night_ ," said Delta.

"The best thing we can do is stay put," said Spark, "It's good to have a clear view of our surroundings. We don't want anything sneaking up on us."

"Really? 'Cause I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to fight some aliens! Bring them on!"

"You already fought aliens," said Jade, "I'd just be glad to have some time to rest."

"Why rest when you could be joining Fyr's Super Rad Expedition To Find Cool Shit?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Spark.

"I'm gonna go exploring! I don't wanna sit here all day...so to speak."

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Jade, "I'm going to stay here. If an alien finds you, don't come running to me."

Fyr shrugged. "Suit yourself! Coming, Spark?"

Spark sighed. "I'm only coming because I am your Ghost and it would be unwise to leave you alone on a planet full of hostile aliens...despite how much I'd like to."

"Awesome! Let's go!"

Spark turned to Delta. "We'll be back before too long. I won't let him go too far."

"Ok. I'll be staying here with Jade. Have fun!"

* * *

Jade was asleep when they returned. Delta greeted them cheerfully and told them that they had been gone for 3 hours.

"Isn't it dangerous to fall asleep here?" said Spark, "What if the Vex had found you?"

"Don't worry. It would be easy for me to wake her in the event of Vex interference," said Delta.

"Do Ghosts need sleep?" Fyr wondered.

"We don't exactly need it, but powering down _does_ have its benefits."

"Huh." He yawned. He'd gone all around the 'Shattered Coast,' as Spark called it, but found nothing interesting. _Sleep sounds like a good idea._ "Imma get some sleep too," he decided.

"I will keep watch," said Spark, "Delta, why don't you power down?"

"Good idea," she said, floating over to Jade. Spark turned to Fyr. "You'd _better_ wake up if I sound the alarm."

Fyr sat down against the wall next to the communications system and yawned again. "Sure, man, whatever you want..." Within a few minutes, he was dead to the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's chapter three! Our two characters met each other. Now all they have to do is get off of Venus. Should be a walk in the park right? After all, it's no Mercury... Anyway, I'd like to know what you guys think will happen next. What could this story have in store? How might it line up with HMW? 
> 
> Chapter 4 will be out sometime this weekend. Until then!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	4. Signal Received

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Strive for honor. Stand for hope." - Grimoire of the Titans**

* * *

 

Fyr awoke to a deafening roar. He lurched forward, almost toppling over, and was on his feet before his eyes had fully opened. He looked around the Venusian landscape but couldn't find anything that could be the source of the noise.

Spark floated up from where he'd apparently hidden. "What do you think it is?"

"Not sure... Maybe a gnarly space monster?"

"That is not reassuring."

"It sounds like it's coming from up there." Fyr pointed at the ceiling. "In the sky."

"It's getting closer..."

"Let's take a peek." He stepped toward the edge of the platform.

"What's going on?" asked Jade from behind him.

"Either the sky is falling... or absolutely nothing. I'm taking a look." He leaned out and looked up. "Oh my French toast! Guys, there's like, a _wicked_ spaceship hovering right above us!"

"What?!" Jade rushed forward, followed by Delta and looked up. "It's landing!" said Jade, "You don't think it's dangerous, do you?"

Suddenly, Delta gave a cry of happiness and did a flip. "It's a Guardian ship!" she exclaimed.

"She's right!" said Spark, "That's a Phaeton class jump ship... It appears that someone _did_ pick up our signal."

Fyr watched as the ship set down on the grass a short distance away. "Whoa... I want one!"

"You as a pilot is the _last_ thing we need," said Spark.

As they watched, a figure got out of the ship and began to head in their direction. "Maybe it's the space police," said Fyr.

"I _seriously_ doubt that," said Jade.

"Hey, sometimes when you're in space, you don't always know who the good guys are... Maybe he thinks we're criminals!"

Jade sighed. The figure was closer now, still striding purposefully in their direction. Fyr could see that he was human. He was tall, much taller than Fyr, and his broad shoulders and bulky armor made him out to be about two times Fyr's size. His skin was dark and his head was completely shaved. Overall, he was quite an imposing figure, especially at that moment when he didn't look too happy. His steel grey eyes widened in momentary surprise as he saw the Ghosts. He stopped in front of them, folding his arms.

"What is the meaning of this?"

His voice was deep and equanimous. It gave Fyr the feeling that this was someone who did not lose his head easily. "Uh...what's the meaning of what?"

"I was expecting..." He sighed. "Never mind. You are Guardians?"

"Yep! Unless anyone _else_ hangs out with little floating robots 24/7."

"Do you mean to tell me that you two were revived _here_?"

"Yes," Jade put in, "We were."

"Hmm. No Guardian has been revived here for a long time..." He considered them for a long moment, then sighed. "I suppose I must bring you to the Tower. The Vanguard will want to hear of this."

"Who're they?" Fyr asked.

"They are my commanders and the highest authority in the Tower aside from the Speaker... Your fate rests with them."

"Great! When do we meet them?"

"There is room in my ship for both of you... Follow me." He turned and started walking back to his ship.

Fyr fell into step next to him, with Jade on the other side. "So who are you, exactly, man?" Fyr asked.

"My name is Bazzle Torelli. I, like you, am one of the few chosen by the Traveler."

"Wait... Your name is _Bazzle_?" Fyr could barely contain his laughter.

Bazzle shot him an unamused look. "What of it?"

Fyr's laughter stopped. "Nothin'... Cool name, dude."

Jade sighed. "His name is Fyr," she said, "So feel free to tease him back."

Fyr was indignant. " _Not_ cool. But yeah, I'm Fyr Allerton."

Bazzle looked at Jade. "What is your name?"

"Jaedryth Wrythal... I go by Jade."

He nodded, coming to a stop as they approached the ship. "Sway, prepare a transmat." A purple-shelled Ghost appeared at his side. "Affirmative," she said, "Transmat commencing in 3...2...1."

Fyr jumped as a white light engulfed them. _What the heck?_ A second later, they were sitting in the interior of Bazzle's ship. "What the heck was _that_?"

"That was a transmat beam," said Bazzle from the pilot's seat. He was busy flipping switches and pressing buttons.

The ship's engine roared to life and Fyr felt it lift off the ground. "This is _so_ cool!" he exclaimed, leaning forward so he could look out the window. He saw Venus' surface shrink as the ship ascended, breaking out of the atmosphere and into empty space.

"Preparing to enter warp space," said Bazzle. He turned. "You two might want to strap in." Fyr and Jade fastened their harnesses. The ship jerked and they were pressed back into the seats. Streaks of shining colors sailed by.

"This is psychedelic..." said Fyr.

"How does this work?" asked Jade.

"All Guardian ships possess a warp drive," said Bazzle, "It allows us to travel at extremely high speeds through space. We should be arriving in a few minutes."

Sure enough, it seemed to take almost no time before they were pulling into a huge hangar. In a flash, they were transmatted out of the ship. Fyr looked around. " _Damn_. This place is _sick_."

"Well howdy, there!" a voice called from across the room.

Fyr looked over. A woman was walking toward them. She wore a sleeveless shirt and pants with a tool belt around her waist. A red bandanna was tied around her neck and her blonde hair was short and choppy. She spoke with a slight accent. "Look who we have here," she said, "If it ain't Bazzle Torelli."

"Hello, Miss Holliday."

"I keep tellin' ya, call me Amanda." She looked at Fyr. "And who might you be?"

He grinned. "My name's Fyr Allerton." He held out a hand.

"Amanda Holliday... Shipwright." She shook his hand firmly before turning her attention to Jade. "And you?"

"Jaedryth Wrythal... You can call me Jade."

"Nice to meet ya." She turned back to regard Bazzle. "New recruits?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm taking them to meet the Vanguard."

She patted him on the shoulder. "Great. Be sure t' tell me how it goes." With that, she walked past them to see to Bazzle's ship.

"So are we gonna see the Vanguard now? Where are they?" Fyr asked.

Bazzle sighed. "Follow me." He led them out of the hangar and into a large area that held many booths. It overlooked a great City, over which a massive white orb hung, suspended in the air.

"Ooh, what's that?"

"The Traveler. It is the reason we Guardians exist."

"Where is everyone?" Jade asked. Fyr turned away from the view. _She's right_ , he realized. Only a few people seemed to be around, standing near various tables.

"Not many Guardians are at the Tower currently," said Bazzle, "They are all on missions or patrols. The vendors are all that remain. You will meet them later. For now...it is best not to keep the Vanguard waiting."

"Especially Cayde," said his Ghost.

"Indeed. We all know how impatient Cayde can be... This way."

They followed him down a few flights of stairs and into a huge room. People were scattered around it, but the first to catch Fyr's attention was a broad-shouldered figure standing off to one side. Nothing of his face could be seen through his opaque helmet which, curiously enough, had only one horn sticking out of it. The other seemed to have been broken off, making his head look slightly lopsided.

"Torelli! Haven't seen you in the Crucible lately!"

Bazzle chuckled. "I haven't had the time."

"Ah. Patrols keeping you busy then ...But what's this? New recruits?"

"Yes. This is Jade Wrythal... And this is Fyr Allerton."

"Dude, what happened to your horn?" Fyr asked.

The man laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know? ...Well, I'm not gonna tell you how I lost it; you couldn't handle it."

"Huh."

The man laughed again. "Perhaps after a few rounds in the Crucible."

Bazzle laughed. "Easy, Shaxx. They don't even know their classes yet."

The Guardian, Shaxx, nodded. "Very well. 'Till next time, Torelli."

Bazzle resumed walking, leading them into another area bigger than the first. In the middle of the room stood a long table covered with a number of interesting objects including books, tablets, and a giant map. Three Guardians stood around the table. _They must be the Vanguard... They don't look so bad._ Then the man at the end of the table looked up. _Holy crap! I take it back! That guy is_ definitely _intimidating._ The man, like Bazzle, was tall and built. He even had the same style of armor. But apart from that and his smooth head, the similarities ended. His skin was a light blue and his eyes were a glowing electric shade of the same color. Fyr tried not to stare, instead concentrating on the other two figures in the room. Unfortunately, the Guardian standing in front of the map was even harder not to look at. He, well...he was a _robot_. There was no other way Fyr could describe him. His eyes were blue and his plating was blue and grey. The armor he wore was slimmer and darker than Bazzle's and he also had a hooded cloak, torn and worn through in many places. A dark blue fin protruded from the top of his head. Finally, Fyr turned his focus to the last person. Her armor seemed more like robes, the purple complimenting her dark skin. She had a high collar and around her left bicep was a strange band that glowed with a purple light. When she looked at Fyr, he got the feeling that she could see his deepest fears...his darkest secrets. Bazzle directed his words to the man at the table's head.

"Commander. I have brought in two new recruits."

The man nodded, focusing his gaze on Fyr and Jade. "Welcome to the Tower," he said, "I am Commander Zavala, Titan Vanguard." He motioned to the robot. "This is Cayde-6, Hunter Vanguard." He motioned to the woman. "And this is Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard."

"Well, I don't have any impressive titles, but I think I can come up with a few off the top of my head... Greetings! I am the Master of Space Zombies, the Chief Vex-killer, the Overlord of Kicking Ass... Fyr 'the Coolest' Allerton."

The Hunter Vanguard - Cayde - snorted. "Never heard of anyone named 'Fire.'"

"Well...I guess that's 'cause no one's heard of _me_ yet," said Fyr, "It's also spelled F-Y-R."

Cayde looked astonished. "What? How did-"

"Everyone does. Anyway...this is-"

"Jade Wrythal." She shot him a look. "I can introduce myself."

Cayde coughed. "Well, uh, I'm at a loss here...Ikora? You wanna take this?"

The woman in robes nodded. "Welcome to the Tower," she said, "It has been a sanctuary for Guardians for many years. Now it is _your_ sanctuary."

"Um, what will we be doing here?" Jade asked.

Ikora studied her. "For now, you will rest and acquaint yourselves. Tomorrow, though...tomorrow is another matter."

"What do you mean?" asked Fyr.

The Guardian at the end of the table - Zavala - looked at him. "That is not important right now... You are dismissed. Your Ghosts will be updated with the location of your quarters."

Jade nodded and turned to leave. Fyr decided to follow her example. He saw Bazzle move to follow them, but Zavala cut him off. "Torelli, a word?"

"Yes, sir."

Fyr hesitated in the doorway. _Is Bazzle in trouble?_ He hoped not. The Guardian had helped them out _big_ time. Plus, he had a great name.

Jade yanked his arm. "Come on," she said in a low voice, "We don't want to make the Vanguard immediately hate us."

He sighed and followed her out. "I guess you're right... Still, I hope Bazzle's not in trouble. The dude saved our asses."

She nodded. "I get it... Look, we'll wait for him in the plaza. It shouldn't be too long."

They ascended the stairs. Outside, the day was drawing to a close. Evening was settling over the Tower and the lights of the City stood out against the swiftly darkening sky. Spark and Delta appeared next to them.

"So what did you think of the Vanguard?" Delta asked.

Jade glanced at Fyr. "I don't know about you, but that felt weird. They seemed very...abrupt."

"Yeah, they were definitely rushing us outta there," said Fyr, "Wonder if it was something I said..."

"I'm sure it wasn't anything either of you did," said Delta comfortingly.

Spark nodded in agreement. "The Vanguard are under tremendous pressure," he said, "They are looked up to by not only the Guardians but also the citizens of the City... Not to mention the factions."

Delta hummed. "Oh, yes. I'd forgotten about the factions..."

"What are the factions?" Jade asked.

Spark turned to her. "The factions are three different groups amongst the Guardians. They stick out for their differing ideas. New Monarchy wants to bring back the Golden Age. Future War Cult believes that we should prepare ourselves for another war with the Darkness. And Dead Orbit believes that the City can't withstand another attack and should look for a new home on a different planet... All three are a part of the ruling body of the City, known as the Consensus, which the Speaker is the head of. Technically, they are not bound by the Vanguard's authority _but_ the Vanguard have the most influence over the Guardians. Therefore, they are constantly pressured by the factions, and even more so since the revivals stopped."

Jade nodded understandingly, but Fyr felt completely lost. "What the holy hell did you just say, Spark?"

The Ghost sighed. "When did I lose you?"

"Somewhere around the factions being 'three different groups.'" Spark fixed him with a stare. Fyr held up his hands. "Kidding! I got the part about what they think but ya lost me after that."

Spark sighed. "Well, I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Eh, it's fine. I got enough to understand what's up with the Vanguard... It must suck to be them."

"I believe you and Cayde would get along very well," said Delta, "He shares your opinion."

"Who shares Allerton's opinion?"

Fyr turned and saw Bazzle exiting the stairway. "Dude! I totally thought you were gonna get _expelled_ or something!"

Bazzle raised an eyebrow. "Expelled?"

"You didn't get in trouble? Man, I thought Zavala had it _in_ for you!"

Bazzle chuckled. "Not at all. He merely wished to discuss my...reasons for being on Venus." He gestured ahead of them. "Follow me. I'll show you to your quarters."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting somewhere! Fyr and Jade have made it to the Tower and met briefly with the Vanguard. Anyone notice something familiar about this chapter? I should think so... Also, I'm still after your guys' theories/predictions. How do you think this'll link up with the first story? Why was Bazzle on Venus? 
> 
> The next chapter will be out on Wednesday. I'd like to set the schedule for every Wednesday and Saturday. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to it. Anyway, see you guys in chapter 6!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	5. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The City did not rise without struggle. Warlords and wilderness fiefdoms clung to power. Starvation, disease, and anarchy menaced. But the Guardians held the frontier, and the children of the Golden Age kept the fire burning through the long climb back." - Grimoire of the City Age**

* * *

Jade looked around as she followed Bazzle through the Tower. _This place is a lot bigger than I thought... It's hard to believe that no other Guardians are here right now._

She looked over at Bazzle, studying him. He walked with determination, but she could see a weariness in him. _What was he discussing with Commander Zavala? Why was he even on Venus in the first place?_ She decided to ask him. _The worst that could happen is he'd refuse to tell me..._ "Bazzle?"

He looked at her.

"What _were_ you doing on Venus?" Fyr looked up with interest.

Bazzle sighed. "That is a long story... Which is hardly relevant to yourselves."

She nodded. _Well, it wasn't like I didn't expect that._ She decided to change the subject. "...So where are our rooms?"

"Oh man, yeah!" said Fyr, "I can't wait to see my room! I bet it has a minibar, maybe a Jacuzzi..." He stared off into space like he was imagining what his room would be like.

"I highly doubt that," said Spark.

"...Why must you crush my dreams?"

Jade sighed. _He is_ exasperating _. I hope we don't have to_ share _a room..._ Bazzle lead them up some stairs. Jade, whose thoughts had drifted, was barely able to stop herself from running into him when he came to an unexpected stop at the top. Fyr wasn't so lucky. He bumped into her and would have fallen back down the stairs if she hadn't caught his arm. Bazzle turned to face them.

"This is your level," he said, "Level 3." He pointed to the door straight ahead of them, which was labeled with a '3A.' "My quarters. You two are further down. Allerton, you're 3D."

"...Really? Aw man, I always thought I was _flat_..."

Bazzle sighed at him before he looked at Jade. "Wrythal, 3E. Any questions?"

Jade barely refrained from sighing when Fyr put his hand up. "Yes. Why can't we have those rooms? ...It'd be funny to knock on your wall in the middle of the night."

Jade looked at the rooms he'd pointed to. 3B and 3C. Bazzle sighed again, but this time it seemed more regretful than annoyed... At least to her.

"Those rooms are... occupied. Any other questions?" Fyr raised his hand again. Bazzle ignored him. "Good. I'll allow you a few minutes to get settled in... Meet me in the dining hall at 1900." With that, he unlocked his door and disappeared into his quarters.

Fyr looked at Jade in confusion. "What's nineteen hundred?"

"Military time. It was used back in the Golden Age... I guess it makes sense that they use it here."

"Right. But what does it _mean_?"

"7 o'clock. Can I go to my room now?"

"Yep. See ya later!"

Jade watched him enter his room and then made her way into her own. It was on the barren side, with just a few pieces of furniture in the room. She looked around, opening the closet and checking out the bathroom before she sank down onto the couch, forehead resting in her hands. She felt Delta hover closer to her.

"Is something wrong?"

Jade sighed and lifted her head up, elbows still resting on her knees. She stared at the opposite wall. "No, nothing. It's just... it's a lot to take in, you know? I mean, first I was dead, then I wasn't. Then I find out I'm a Guardian and it's my job to protect the only safe place left on Earth. Now I'm here in this Tower, and already it's... like home but it isn't. I mean, I _know_ this sounds crazy, but I had a life. I had a family. I had friends. I had people who loved me and now they're gone and I'm here. I'm living in a world I wasn't meant to see. All these things have happened and I wasn't a part of them. Until I was. And I wake up in a place I've only seen through data files and the worst part is I can _remember_. And most people would call that a blessing. But it's not. Because I can remember _every part_ of the life, the _people_ I've left behind. But I know that I can never go back. Everything I knew was _centuries_ ago. My house is gone. My family and friends are long dead. And I'm expected to carry this weight around with me, to bear the burden of memories of a time that has crumbled to dust... How do I _do_ this, Delta?"

The Ghost was silent for a long moment. "Well, I can't tell you how to live your life," she finally said, "But I can tell you that you're not in this alone. You'll make new friends, form _new_ relationships. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Jade looked over at Delta gratefully. "Thank you... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"...I'm sure you'd manage just fine."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Delta spoke up again. "I don't want to be _that_ Ghost, but it's almost 7."

"Right." She rose from the couch. "I wonder why Bazzle wanted us to meet him?"

"Maybe he wants to talk to you... You're a good person to talk to."

"Thanks... I wonder what he meant when he said those rooms were occupied. It didn't seem like anyone was living in them."

Delta shrugged. "Maybe they aren't here right now. Nearly all of the Guardians are currently off-world."

Jade nodded. "Maybe...but the way he said it felt a bit weird..." She sighed. "I guess it's really none of my business. Should we meet Fyr?"

"Yep. Let's go!"

They exited the room, Delta locking the door behind them. Jade knocked on Fyr's door. _I wonder what_ he _was doing in_ his _room? ...Probably not crying about his past like I was..._

Fyr opened the door. "Whaddup? Come to see my new digs?"

"No. We're supposed to be meeting Bazzle in the dining hall."

"Oh yeah... I forgot." He stepped through the door, which Spark locked, and they made their way toward the stairs. "...It's not like my room's that impressive anyway. It's kinda meh."

Jade nodded. "I know what you mean... I guess it's up to us to make them our own."

"Hell yeah! Interior design is my specialty."

"I don't believe that for a second."

He shrugged. "What can I say? I've got the gift."

They made their way down the stairs. "Which direction is the dining hall in?" Jade asked.

"I can guide you," said Delta, "Follow me!"

As her Ghost lead them through the Tower, Jade thought about the many questions she had for Bazzle. _I wonder if he'll have answers... There's still so much about being a Guardian that I don't know. It feels like I've stubbed my toe on the tip of an iceberg. I've scratched the surface and I won't know more until I look deeper... But at least I'm not in this alone..._ She looked over at Fyr and was surprised at how much she hadn't noticed before. For how immature he acted, he couldn't be more than a couple years younger than she was. His build probably made him look younger as well. His face was slim with an edged jaw and prominent cheekbones, framed by his reddish-brown hair, which came down to his eyebrows in the front and tapered down to the bottom of his jaw along the sides. The only part of his appearance that took away from his youth were the scars. Jade hadn't really looked at him up close before but now she could make out three of them, each one long and white, even against the pale shade of his skin. The bottom one stretched from below his left cheekbone to the bottom right of his chin. The middle one began at the right edge of his jaw and crossed both his nose and his left eye, though both were miraculously intact. She could barely make out the uppermost scar. The end of it was just next to his right eye, while the rest was lost in his bangs. _I wonder how he got them? ...Maybe he doesn't remember. Does he remember_ any _part of his past?_ She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice that Delta had stopped.

"Here we are! The dining hall is right through this door."

Jade looked around as they entered. The dining hall was pretty big. She estimated that about 200 people could sit comfortably in it. In the center of the room was a circular counter stocked with plates, cups, silverware, and food.

"Awesome!" said Fyr, heading straight for the food.

Jade sighed. She really didn't feel hungry at all. Then she noticed Bazzle sitting at one of the tables and moved to join him. "Hello," she said, sitting down across from him. He looked up from his plate and nodded to her.

"Wrythal... Where's Allerton?"

She gestured over her shoulder. "He's getting food."

Just then, Fyr walked up, balancing a plate that was piled high with more food than he could possibly eat. "I have returned triumphant!" he declared, sitting down next to her.

She ignored him. "Why did you want us to meet you?"

Bazzle set down his fork and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Let's just say I have a... personal stake in your future. You two are to become Guardians but at the moment I don't think that either of you fully understands what that means."

"So you're gonna teach us?" asked Fyr which, through a mouthful of food, came out more like 'so urr gon teef us?'

"Not exactly, no," Bazzle replied, "Being a Guardian is not something that is taught... I can guide you for part of the way, but in the end, it is you yourselves that must make it happen."

Jade nodded. "I understand," she said, "You're saying that it's the journey that makes a Guardian."

"Yes...in a way..."

"But we can ask you questions, right?"

"Of course. Knowledge means nothing if it is not shared." He chuckled. "That is something I often heard Ikora say... Feel free to ask me anything."

Jade opened her mouth but was preempted by Fyr. "Why's that one guy a robot?"

Bazzle raised an eyebrow. "Cayde? He is an Exo. It's not a good idea to confuse the two."

"An _Exo_?" said Jade in disbelief, "That isn't possible! When I was ali- I mean, the first time, Exos were nothing more than an advanced AI." She'd never heard one sound as human as Cayde had.

Bazzle nodded. "Towards the end of the Golden Age, before the Collapse, the first Exos were seeded with consciousness... The exact nature of this event remains unknown, but we know it was linked to a unique subroutine. Now Exos feel as much as any living being."

Jade nodded. It seemed crazy that the Exos could feel when in her time they were basically robots. But the mention of Cayde reminded her of the other Vanguards. "...What about Commander Zavala?" she asked, "He doesn't look human."

"Commander Zavala is one of the Awoken," said Bazzle.

" _Ohh..._ Delta told me."

"The what?" asked Fyr.

"They were created during the Collapse when the shock wave struck the human fleet that was fleeing Earth, the survivors were transformed into a new race," said Jade. She looked back at Bazzle. "They live out in the Reef, right?"

"In _where_?" Fyr sounded hopelessly confused.

"The Asteroid Belt," said Bazzle, "And yes, they do. However, many live in the City as well."

"Dang... this is a lot to take in," said Fyr, "Anything _else_ you wanna melt my brain with?"

"Yes, now that you mention it... You should be informed about the three classes among Guardians."

"The _what_?"

"There are three different types of Guardians," Bazzle explained, "Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans. Each has a unique way of harnessing the Light. Warlocks tend to use the Light as though casting a spell. They are warrior-scholars, devoted to understanding the Light... Hunters on the other hand... they travel beyond the walls, looking to reclaim secrets of the past. They are experts with knives and precision weapons... Finally, there's Titans. That's me. We are warriors before everything else. Our fighting style leans towards blunt force...and it works well."

"And when do we learn _our_ classes?" asked Jade.

"I believe it is for that reason that the Vanguard have summoned you tomorrow."

"Cool!" said Fyr, "How will they know?"

A strange sparkle gleamed in Bazzle's eye. "They will administer a test."

"What kind of test?" Jade asked.

His lips twitched. "That is not for me to tell you." He stood up. "I'm afraid I must leave you now. I still have other duties to attend to... Goodnight." With that, he strode out of the dining hall.

"Huh," said Fyr, "So there's gonna be a test... Can't wait."

"You'll do great!" said Delta, "Don't worry about it."

Spark nodded in agreement. "In my opinion, worrying means you suffer twice," he said.

"Spark! I'm trying to _reassure_ them!"

"I'm just telling you what I think."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm ready for bed," said Jade, rising from her seat. She noticed Fyr's empty plate. _How in the world did he manage to eat all that?_

Fyr got up as well, yawning. "Yup. I've earned my beauty rest... This face didn't happen by accident!"

Jade sighed and followed him out of the hall. After bidding him goodnight at his door, she was about ready to collapse from exhaustion, but she forced herself to take a shower first, which felt amazing. She couldn't have been happier to crawl into her bed.

"Goodnight, Jade," said Delta from her nightstand.

"Goodnight, Delta." For the first time since she'd been revived, Jade felt truly relaxed. Before she knew it, her eyes were closing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's another one down! I hope you guys are enjoying this story. I get excited every time I post a new chapter. Feel free to leave comments to let me know what you think so far. 
> 
> P.S. The last chapter had a Destiny Cops reference. This one has a reference too, but this time it's something completely unrelated to Destiny. Props to whoever finds it.
> 
> Next chapter out on Saturday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	6. Wise Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The City's shipwrights and foundries hum with energy. The probability kilns and work cooperatives produce new wonders. The Darkness is rising again. But so is the Light." - Grimoire of the City Age**

* * *

 

Jade woke to the sound of music playing. The song wasn't anything she recognized, but it was an upbeat, hopeful tune and she found herself wanting to simply lie there and listen to it. But she knew that wasn't possible. Today was the day she would discover her class, the moment that would decide what kind of Guardian she would become, what role she would play in fighting the Darkness.

Through strong force of will, she got up out of her bed and began to dress in the armor she'd cast off the night before and incidentally, the only clothes she possessed aside from her undersuit. Delta floated over and Jade realized that the music had been coming from her Ghost.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning, Delta."

"Are you ready to find out your class?"

"As ready as I can be."

"Great! Fyr just woke up a few minutes ago... Spark had a bit of trouble getting him out of bed."

"Can't say I didn't expect that... Is he still in his room?"

"I believe he is waiting for you on the landing."

Sure enough, when Jade opened her door, she came face to face with Fyr.

"Good morning." He yawned so wide that Jade was almost afraid he'd break his jaw.

"Good morning, Jade," said Spark, "It appears that Fyr is not a morning person."

"I guessed as much... I'm not feeling very hungry right now. We could go straight to the Vanguard, if you want."

"Are you sure?" Delta asked, "You didn't eat anything last night, either."

"It's probably nerves," said Spark, "...I'm fine with going to see the Vanguard if Fyr is."

Fyr shook his head. "Nah. I don't think I'll be able to function unless I get some food... And coffee."

Jade shrugged. "No problem... Let's go to the dining hall."

* * *

 As she watched Fyr cram a bagel down his throat, Jade attempted to reign in her nerves. As nonchalant as she'd acted, she really would've preferred going straight to the Vanguard. She wanted to get the test, whatever it was, over with. The dread was a new experience for her. Growing up, she'd never really been worried about taking a test. But this wasn't any old test. It was a key factor in setting the course of her life. It was a test she couldn't afford to fail. _I wonder if Fyr feels the same?_ She doubted it. He sat there and ate his breakfast as though he hadn't a care in the world. She couldn't be more relieved when he finished eating and stood up.

"Alright. Let's bomb this test!"

Jade got up. "Please don't joke about failing... I'm nervous enough as it is." She headed for the door, Fyr behind her. As they crossed the plaza toward the entrance to the Hall of Guardians, she could feel the dread building inside as though it was a physical substance. Shaxx hailed them as they passed.

"Greetings! Wrythal and Allerton, was it? What brings you to this part of the Tower?"

"Um, we were summoned by the Vanguard," said Jade.

Shaxx laughed. "I see. Finding out your classes, are you? Well, good luck... The Crucible will await you. You know where to find me."

Jade couldn't think of a response to this and might have looked like a complete fool if Fyr hadn't spoken up.

"The Crucible? _Cool!"_

"If you've got what it takes."

"I _totally_ have what it takes!" Fyr flexed his arms. "Have you _seen_ these?"

Shaxx laughed. "We'll see, Guardian."

Jade poked Fyr in the shoulder and sent him a look. _We need to get going._

"See you later," said Fyr.

Shaxx nodded. Jade took this as a sign that they could leave and started walking toward the Vanguard's room. As they approached the table, Zavala and Ikora looked up from what they were doing.

"Ah, our newest recruits," said Zavala. He glared at Cayde, who hadn't yet acknowledged their presence.

The Hunter looked up. "Yeah, yeah. Welcome and all that."

 _He doesn't sound very excited,_ thought Jade. "So, um, what kind of test will we be taking?"

Ikora looked at her quizzically. "What gave you the impression we'd be testing you?"

"Isn't that how we find out our class?"

Just then, Cayde began to laugh.

"...What's so funny?"

The Vanguard attempted to muffle his laughter. "Nothin', it's just somethin' of a running joke. Whenever we get new recruits, they worry themselves silly 'bout the test." He chuckled. "You know what? You two are just like-" He cut himself off mid-sentence, shaking his head. "...Never mind. Not important. The point is, the 'test' ain't as scary as you're thinkin'."

Fyr looked as confused as Jade felt. "Why? Do you pull, like, our names out of a hat or something?"

Cayde shrugged. "Basically. We're gonna put three guns in front of you and all you gotta do is pick the one that suits ya."

"How does that determine our class?" Jade asked.

Cayde shrugged again. "Titans, Warlocks, Hunters... They all prefer different guns. It's pretty easy to tell which one you're most comfortable with."

"Since this seems to amuse you, Cayde, you can gather the weapons," said Zavala.

With a dramatic sigh, Cayde made his way to the corner of the room. While he was busy, Ikora addressed them once more. "Once you two are placed, you'll be sent to the Speaker... He wants to meet all new Guardians-"

She was interrupted by Cayde, who dropped several guns onto the table with a loud clatter _._ Zavala sighed. It was clear that he was used to his fellow Vanguard's antics. Ikora separated the weapons. As she did, Jade noticed how different they were from one another. One was long and skinny, with a large scope mounted on the top. _That must be a sniper rifle._ The second was a bit shorter and wider. Jade recognized it as a shotgun. However, the last gun was completely foreign to her. It was even shorter than the shotgun and had a larger base. Ikora motioned to the guns.

"Both of you will choose one of these three. The gun you choose determines which class you'll end up in."

Fyr raised his hand. "Uh...what if we both pick the same gun? Do we have to rock-paper-scissors for it, or...?"

Cayde snorted, earning him an unamused look from Ikora. "These are not the only ones of their kind," she said, "It wouldn't be difficult to find another of the same type... Now, approach the table." She stepped aside, allowing them to walk up to the guns.

Jade eyed the short unfamiliar one. "What kind of gun is that?"

"That is a fusion rifle," said Ikora, "It projects beams of energy that can be spread across multiple targets. A medium-ranged weapon. Useful both close up and from a distance."

Jade studied the fusion rifle. The idea was intriguing. She'd never heard of a gun that could fire energy beams. She also liked the fact that it could be used across different distances. It's the most useful of the tthree,he thought, _Shotguns are typically for close quarter combat and sniper rifles are limited to farther away. With this, I'd be able to do both._ Making her decision, she reached for the fusion rifle. It felt comfortable in her hands, reinforcing her belief that she'd made the right choice. She glanced to her left and noticed that Fyr had also made his choice. The sniper rifle sat in his grip, looking as though it had always been there. She looked back to the Vanguard. Zavala and Ikora were both smiling, although Ikora's seemed more pronounced.

Cayde let out a cheer. " _Yes_ ! Another Hunter! A point to me!"

Ikora stepped forward. "Welcome to the Warlocks, Jaedryth Wrythal."

Jade felt happiness bubble up inside her. _This is what I'm meant to be. One step closer..._

Zavala smiled at them. "Well done, Guardians. You have chosen your classes. Those weapons now belong to you. Use them well."

"You mean I get to keep this?!" said Fyr in amazement, "Awesome!"

"Yes... Now, to business. You have both been set up with an account with 2000 Glimmer...use it wisely. After you meet the Speaker, you may retrieve your armor from Master Rahool in the plaza. You should also speak to the Gunsmith Banshee-44. You will need more than one weapon to push back the Darkness... Good luck, Guardians."

Jade nodded to the Vanguards. "Thank you," she said, turning to leave. Fyr walked next to her, nearly bouncing with excitement. As they emerged onto the plaza, he let out a whoop.

"Yes! I'm a Hunter! It's only fitting cause that's the _coolest_ class."

Jade sighed, shaking her head. Next to her, Delta did a flip.

"I can't believe it!" she said excitedly, "You'll be an amazing Warlock!"

Jade smiled. "Thanks."

From the other side of Fyr, Spark sighed. "I can't say I didn't expect this," he said, "I figured you would end up a Hunter."

"Hell yeah!" Fyr jabbed his new sniper rifle toward the sky. Suddenly, it vanished in a flash. "Hey!"

"I don't feel safe with you waving that around. I'm sure the rest of the Tower will agree with me."

"Do you want me to store that for you?" Delta asked, "You can get it back at anytime."

"Yes, please," said Jade. Her fusion rifle disappeared. "...So who is 'the Speaker?'"

"He's pretty much the highest authority in the City," said Spark, "He leads the Consensus."

"All of the Guardians look up to him," said Delta, "He gives them guidance. Even the Vanguard consult him on many occasions... Also, he speaks for the Traveler."

"Dude, that's crazy!" said Fyr, "So it actually _talks_ to him?!"

"Yep!"

"That's wicked!"

"Where does he live?" Jade asked.

"He resides in the North Tower," said Spark, "You can get to it right through there, behind that staircase."

Jade looked around. It took her a second to see what the Ghost meant. Behind a staircase to their right was an entrance marked 'Tower North.' Upon entering, they discovered a hallway that lead to another section of the Tower.

"The Speaker's study is across that bridge," said Spark.

Jade nodded. _I wonder what the Speaker's like? No wonder he's the highest authority if he's able to speak with the Traveler..._ As they crossed the bridge, she looked around in awe. A shallow pit was in front of them, above which hung a strange configuration of spinning rings. To the left, a spiral staircase climbed upward, leading to a platform. "Hello?" As her words echoed off the walls, she began to doubt that anyone was there. But then came a response as a deliberate, collected voice answered from above.

"Greetings, Guardians."

Jade and Fyr exchanged a glance before moving to climb the stairs. "The Vanguard told us to come see you," said Fyr, "I guess you wanna meet new recruits?"

"Indeed, I do... It's important to meet the Guardians who will soon be facing the Darkness."

When they finally made it to the top, Jade was taken aback. _He doesn't look anything like I thought he would._ The Speaker was covered from head to foot in long white and black robes. Even his face was shrouded, covered in a hood and a full mask. It was impossible to tell if he was even human. Jade glanced around. The Speaker's study was cluttered with all manner of items. Most were books and papers, but strange ornaments lay scattered about as well.

"Well met, Guardians. I am the Speaker."

Fyr waved. "Hey. Fyr Allerton."

Jade shot him a look. "And I'm Jaedryth Wrythal."

"A Hunter and a Warlock..." mused the Speaker, "On which planet did your Ghosts revive you?"

Jade shot Fyr another look. _Let me do the talking. "_ We were both revived on Venus."

The Speaker's mask made it nearly impossible to know what he was thinking, but Jade detected a strange note in his reply. "Interesting. Two Guardians, both revived on Venus..."

 _It's like he's interested but wary at the same time_ , Jade thought, _I wonder why. "_ Yes. We were both found in the ruins of the Ishtar Academy."

"Hmm... A former Darkness Zone. Tell me...did you encounter any other Guardians while you were there?"

"Uh, well, Bazzle Torelli found us and brought us back here." It was true but she was pretty sure her answer wasn't what the Speaker had been looking for.

"I see... I assume the Vanguard have told you why they sent you to me?"

"They told us you always met with the new Guardians."

"Yes, that's true. I also do my best to provide guidance... Many Guardians come to me, looking for wise words. All I ask is that you turn them to action."

Jade nodded, feeling more than a little puzzled. "How much do you know of the Guardians?" the Speaker asked.

"Only what Delta told me," said Jade, "I was born during the Golden Age, so I'm unfamiliar with everything that occurred after the Collapse."

The Speaker nodded before turning to Fyr. "And you, Hunter?"

Fyr shrugged. "I know what I need to. If I forget something, that's what Spark's for."

"I'm glad you find me so important," said Spark dryly.

"That saves me my explanation, I suppose," said the Speaker, "But I urge you to come to me if you should ever require council."

"We will," said Jade.

The Speaker nodded. "Very well... Until we meet again, Guardians." 

As Jade and Fyr made their way back to the main plaza, Fyr spoke up.

"That Speaker guy is one weird dude."

"What makes you say that?" Jade asked.

He shrugged. "I dunno. He was just weird. Like what is _up_ with that mask?"

"Well at any rate, he's pretty important around here... We're probably going to see him again at some point."

"Looking forward to it... What are we supposed to be doing?"

Jade held back a sigh. "We're supposed to meet someone... Delta?"

"You are supposed to meet with the Cryptarch Master Rahool," said Delta, "He'll give you your armor."

"Don't forget Banshee," said Spark, "He's the Gunsmith. You'll want to meet with him as well."

"Nice! Armor _and_ weapons," said Fyr appreciatively, "Man, I was _made_ for this job!"

"Technically yes, you were," said Spark.

What?"

"Never mind. I won't get into it."

"Well, let's go see this Master Rahool," said Jade, "I've always wanted to meet a Cryptarch." **  
**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late upload, guys. I ran into some technical issues. I hope y'all liked the chapter! Lemme tell ya, reading the second part of Bungie's webcomic has really made me start to reconsider all my opinions on the Speaker. He's a lot more shady than he seems in the game. Anyway, the next part will be out on Wednesday. Things should be getting interesting pretty soon ;)
> 
> Comments are appreciated!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	7. Dark Wispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Legends walk through this history. The Iron Lords. Saint-14's crusade against the Fallen. The mask of the Speaker. The great Ahamkara Hunt. Toland's madness. Terrible Faction Wars - and the horrifying, disastrous effort to retake the Moon." - Grimoire of the City Age**

* * *

 

Something had changed. The air was shifting. She could feel it flowing across her skin. After so long in the stale dark, the rush of new air made her feel lightheaded. She knew what it meant. The tunnels had opened.

A strange feeling overcame her. She had waited so long for this. This very moment that was now within her grasp. If she did nothing, the window would pass. Then who knew what would become of her? Even now she heard them... Rustling and whispering in the dark. They would investigate. She knew this. She knew them. They would find her. She clenched her fist. No. She would not let them find her. Not after all this time. Her efforts would not go to waste.

Slowly, deliberately, she moved toward the source of air. Her weakened legs trembled and wavered, yet she did not fall. Slowly but surely, step by painstaking step, she drew nearer to her goal. The dry shuffle of her footsteps nearly drowned out the sound of the airflow. But she could still feel it. She was getting close now. The darkness around her gradually began to lighten. Most wouldn't have noticed it, but to anyone who had been in the dark for as long as she had, the shift was impossible to mistake.

She stopped in her tracks as a sudden chill traveled down her spine. The whispers were back. They made their way through the darkness and the dead air behind her. They were getting closer. She started walking again, as fast as she was able. Following the air. The whispers grew in volume. They built up behind her like a rising tide that would soon come crashing down upon her. A wall of pure force. A choked cry escaped her throat, grating against her vocal cords like sandpaper. It was nothing next to the whispers but to her, it sounded like a roar. Behind her, they came rushing down, filling the tunnel. She pushed herself faster, moved by desperation and a primal fear. She hadn't survived for so long to fail now. Yet they were almost upon her. She could see them now, in her mind's eye...claws that would catch at her heels and drag her screaming back into the dark. Then all at once, she rounded a corner and the whispers fell silent as though cut off by some unseen entity. She had made it.

Tears pricked in her eyes at the thought of her deliverance. She stumbled forward and forced back a scream as she was met with a burning so intense it was as though she'd been thrown into a pit of boiling acid. She collapsed into a ball, rocking back and forth.

Gradually, the burning lessened. She slowly drew her hands away from her face, recoiling in horror at their sickly pale shade. It was as all color had been leached away by the dark. She forced herself to look away, turning her gaze to the open mouth of the tunnel. A barren grey landscape stretched for miles, dotted with long-forgotten structures and mountains that protruded from the ground like broken teeth. A well of sadness built inside her.

How long had it been since she'd last seen this sight? How long had she remained hidden in the darkness? Long enough. Long enough for everything outside to seem foreign, unwelcoming. Long enough that the dusky pale light burned her eyes as though she stood in the face of a thousand suns. But now was no time to feel sorry for herself. Self-pity would not help her. Only one thing was important now. Her mission. The very reason she had descended into those tunnels in the first place.

She reached into the folds of her armor and felt a flutter of relief. It was still there. Her time had not been spent in vain. _We still have a chance._ She forced herself to rise. _They must be warned. They must be told of what is coming._

She began to walk, feet unsteady as she crossed the now-alien terrain. She had to find a ship. That was not hard if you knew where to look. No. The most difficult part of her journey lay behind her in the whispering dark. Her jaw set in determination.

_I will do this. I will do this for you... Tarlowe, Mota, Omar, Toland, Erianna... You will have your vengeance. Crota will fall._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone predict this outcome? If you did, kudos to you. Sorry for the short chapter but extending it just didn't feel right. 
> 
> Chapter 8 will be up Saturday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	8. New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Hunters stalk the wilderness beyond the City, harnessing the Light to reclaim the secrets of our lost worlds. They are daring scouts and stealthy killers, expert with knives and precision weapons. Hunters blaze their own trails and write their own laws." - Grimoire of the Hunters**

* * *

 

Fyr groaned loudly and let his head fall onto the table in front of him with an audible _thunk_. Turning to the left slightly, he looked up to see if his actions had had any kind of effect. He sighed when he saw that Jade hadn't even looked up, her nose was still buried in the book in front of her. _What kind of person thinks hanging out in a library is fun?_ He sighed again. _Frickin' Warlocks._

He lifted his head from the table and studied the other Guardian. Jade seemed a lot more comfortable than she'd been when they'd arrived. Her new white and gold robes suited her and there was more confidence in her posture. _Still, as great as this place is, I'd rather be out there fighting stuff._ He stood up, pushing back his chair.

Jade glanced up at the noise. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sick of sitting here, so imma go find something to do."

"Hmm. Have fun..." She returned her attention to the book.

Fyr nodded at her before making his way out of the library. As he entered the plaza, Spark flashed into existence at his side. "Where are we going?"

Fyr shrugged. "I dunno."

There was a moment's silence. "We could go to the dining hall?"

"Nah. Not hungry."

"Hangar?"

"Nothin' to do in there... Maybe I'll find something if I walk around a bit."

"Suit yourself. But I know every inch of this Tower and I can guarantee that you won't find anything new." Fyr shrugged again and continued walking.

Almost an hour later, he found himself entering a section of the Tower he'd never seen before. _Well, whaddya know? Sparky was wrong._ As he opened his mouth to inform his Ghost of this, he was interrupted by a new voice. "What the hell are _you_ doing in here?"

Fyr turned and saw someone standing in the doorway. It was an Exo. He had blue eyes and his plating was white with a dark blue stripe painted vertically down the center of his face. He also had antennae on either side of his head that looked almost like ears. His armor and cloak were black and white and he carried a scout rifle. Fyr blinked, realizing he hadn't answered the question. "Uh...stuff?"

The Exo didn't look impressed. "Uh-huh. Sure, kid. This is the break room for the Wall patrollers. What are you, a newbie or something?"

"Yeah, actually."

The Exo seemed surprised. "Really? Huh. Guess life here never ceases to be interesting." He shifted his gun and held out a hand. "Nice to meet ya, kid. I'm Kaedro-22. You can call me Kay."

Fyr shook hands, grinning. "I'm Fyr Allerton." He pointed to his Ghost. "This is Spark."

"Oh right." A Ghost materialized next to Kaedro. Its shell was a light pink. "This is Jyn," said Kaedro.

"Well met," said the Ghost pleasantly.

"So when were you revived, kid?" Kaedro asked.

"My friend and I got here a couple weeks ago," Fyr replied.

Kaedro nodded. "That explains it. I just got back from patrol. No wonder I've never seen you around... And you're a Hunter, right?"

"Yep! Nothing but the best class for me!"

Kaedro laughed. "You bet. I'm a Hunter too. Nothing like being out there in the wilds..."

Fyr sighed. "Man... I've been stuck in this frickin' Tower since I was revived!"

"Ah, that sucks."

"Yeah. The Vanguard said we'd get our own mission but it's been like a week now and the only place I've gotten to explore was the library... And I didn't even get to kill any books."

Kaedro nodded. "Huh. Well, the Vanguard might have a reason for keeping you here... I've been hearing some pretty interesting stuff while out on the Wall. Not three days ago, there were reports of a strange ship sighted in the Cosmodrome. Said to have docked at the Tower just yesterday."

"What?! Man, how come I miss out on all the _cool_ stuff? ...Spark, we're going to the Hangar!"

"Whoa whoa. Hold your horses, kid. If you didn't hear about the ship, the Vanguard clearly want this kept on the QT...and probably for a good reason... Jyn, could you store this for me?"

"Certainly." Kaedro's gun vanished. Fyr turned to leave.

"Hey, wait. Where're you going?"

"Imma find Jade," he replied, "If there's some kinda groovy spaceship around here, she's gonna wanna know."

"I'll come with you," said Kaedro, "Not sure what's going on but I'm not about to let some kinder-Guardian have all the fun."

"Hey, no problem man. You're like the only other person I've met and you seem like you know what's up... Let's rock and roll."

* * *

Just as the two Guardians entered the Traveler's Walk, Bazzle and Jade rounded the corner at the opposite end. Bazzle looked surprised. "Kaedro. I wasn't aware you'd returned from patrol."

Kaedro extended his arms. "Well, here I am! In the flesh...or rather, the metal."

Fyr laughed. "I love this guy!" he said to Spark.

"You would," the Ghost replied, "He's like another version of _you_."

Bazzle motioned to Jade. "This is Jade Wrythal," he said, "One of our new recruits... I see you've already met Allerton."

"That I have." He turned his attention to Jade. "The name's Kaedro-22. Kay for short."

"Nice to meet you," said Jade.

"Yeah, yeah," said Fyr, "What I wanna know is what's up with us being grounded?"

Bazzle coughed. "Actually that is what I came to talk to you about. You and Wrythal have just been assigned your first mission."

"Hold on," said Kaedro, "I thought the Vanguard wanted to keep them in. Why the sudden change of mind?"

"This doesn't come from the Vanguard," said Bazzle, "This comes directly from the Speaker."

Kaedro whistled. "The Speaker's handing out missions? Never thought I'd see the day..."

"Hell yeah!" said Fyr, "We're finally getting outta this Tower!"

"It would appear so," said Bazzle dryly. He looked at Jade. "Are you ready for this?" Jade looked pale, but she nodded.

"Awesome!" said Fyr, "So when do we find out what the mission is?"

"Soon enough," Bazzle replied, "For now, all you need to know is it's in the Cosmodrome. Come to think of it, why don't you and Wrythal head to the Hangar now? We'll catch you up."

"Whatever you say, dude. I just can't wait to get the hell outta here!" He poked Jade on the arm. "C'mon. I wanna see the ships!"

* * *

Once the two younger Guardians had left, Kaedro spoke up. "So what's really going on?" he asked, "Why've the Vanguard been keeping them here, and in the dark I might add? Does all this have anything to do with the ship that arrived yesterday?"

Bazzle passed his hand over his face. "Partially, yes... The Vanguard have recently become...reluctant to meet with any Guardian, even to assign missions."

"They don't want them poking around... Why?"

"Their motivations were unclear. All I know is that since that ship arrived, they've been on edge."

Kaedro gave a low whistle. "Damn. Any idea who was on the thing?"

Bazzle shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. The Vanguard have kept that hidden."

"Well if there's a new person around, we're sure to run into them sooner or later," said Kaedro with a chuckle, "This Tower isn't that big of a place, all things considered."

Bazzle smiled. "True..." He glanced at his wrist interface. "We'd better get going. Wrythal and Allerton were just assigned their first mission. The Speaker asked me to keep an eye on them."

Kaedro shot him a look. "You asking me to tag along?"

"I might be... Are you interested?"

"Hell, it's not like I've got anything going on. Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now we're back with our MCs. I know you guys know who was on the ship, even though none of the other Guardians do. It was high time for a bit of dramatic irony, I suppose. 
> 
> Chapter 9 out Wednesday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox
> 
> P.S. I kinda forgot to say this before but all the credit goes to Bungie for the world and story of Destiny. I only own my characters :P


	9. Rising Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"There are nightmares rising from the shadows, and they hunger for our dying hope." - Grimoire of the Hive**

* * *

 

" _You're about to set down in the Mothyards,"_ Bazzle informed over the comms, " _Keep on the lookout for Fallen."_

"Aliens? _Nice_!" said Fyr.

His day just kept getting better. He and Jade finally got sent out on their first mission and then he ended up getting his own Arcadia jump ship. He brought it in, sweeping low across the cold rocky terrain and was transmatted out by Spark. He flipped his hood up and watched as Jade sailed in, her ship rocking slightly. She appeared next to him, wringing her hands and breathing hard.

"That was a lot harder than the simulations!"

"You did just fine," Delta assured.

"At least you don't fly like a maniac," said Spark.

"Hey!" Fyr protested, "I'll have you know that I'm the best dang pilot in the galaxy!"

" _If you're done bickering, I believe there's a mission that needs doing,"_ said Kaedro, " _Unless you want it to be given to someone else?"_

"No way!" said Fyr, "This is _our_ mission. Those other Guardians can go find their own."

"Are you two coming?" Jade asked.

" _I'm sorry to say that Kaedro and I will not be joining you,"_ said Bazzle, " _However, we will be watching your progress through your Ghosts."_

"You're welcome!" said Delta cheerfully.

" _The Fallen are suspected to be guarding something in the old Skywatch,"_ said Kaedro, " _But before you go there, you'll need transportation. There should be a shed nearby."_

Fyr looked around. "Is it the one that looks like a rusty tin can?"

" _That's the one."_

Fyr motioned to Jade and they started walking toward it. "So what's in the shed?" Jade asked.

" _An access point to the vehicle grid,"_ said Bazzle, " _Your Ghosts will be able to link your Sparrows from there."_

"What's a Sparrow?" Fyr asked.

"It's a vehicle made for land travel," said Jade, "Right?"

"She is correct," said Spark, "Once you have your Sparrows, getting to the Skywatch will be much faster."

"Well _I'm_ down," said Fyr.

As they entered the shed, Delta appeared and drifted forward to scan an interface in front of them. "Ok. You should be able to access your Sparrow now," she told Jade. Jade nodded, then tapped on her wrist interface. Fyr jumped back as a long white vehicle appeared in front of them.

"Cool! Where's mine?"

Spark materialized and with a few quick zaps, Fyr's Sparrow was linked. His was blue like his armor, though without the orange highlights. He mounted it with a grin and revved the engine. Jade sighed and slid onto her own. The Ghosts vanished and Bazzle spoke once more.

" _Now that you have your Sparrows, you need to head for the Skywatch."_

"Where is it?" Fyr asked.

" _See the giant satellite building across the Mothyards?"_ said Kaedro, " _That's it."_

"Oh. Right on. Let's go."

With a burst of speed, the two Sparrows shot off through the Mothyards.

* * *

In no time at all, they had reached the top of the hill the Skywatch was on. They dismounted and their Sparrows vanished. Fyr began to walk forward but was stopped by Jade.

"Hold on," she said, nodding toward the building's entrance, "Look."

Fyr followed her gaze and saw a group of aliens guarding the doorway. " _Finally_. Let's kick some alien butt!"

"Two Vandals, three Dregs, and a Captain," said Spark.

Fyr drew his hand cannon. "How much you wanna bet I can one-shot all of them?"

"I'd rather not."

Fyr shrugged and took aim. "Suit yourself."

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ The three Dregs went down instantly. The Vandals and Captain whirled to face them, firing off dozens of shots. Just as Fyr was about to take them out, the Vandals turned orange and dissolved. He looked to the right and saw Jade with her fusion rifle out. She took another shot, blasting the Captain and taking down his shield, then Fyr finished him off. Now that the way was clear, the two Guardians moved forward. A little way into the building, Spark spoke up.

"This is the Lunar Complex. It's a Darkness Zone, so try not to die."

" _Yeah,"_ Kaedro said, " _Bazzle and I don't wanna have to come in there after you."_

Just then, Jade stopped. Fyr looked up.

"...Well, no one mentioned a big-ass door was gonna be in the way."

"The Fallen must have sealed it," said Delta, "Don't worry. I can get it open." She appeared in front of them.

"Looks like the Fallen really didn't want anyone getting in," said Spark.

The door unlocked with a clang and slid open. Delta vanished and they moved forward. As Fyr looked around, he had to force back a gag. The walls and floor were encrusted with moldy-smelling growths, illuminated by spiky glowing crystals that were dotted here and there. As they passed into the darkness, Delta and Spark let out beams of light for them to see by. They climbed some stairs and came face to face with a dark doorway. The room beyond was pitch black.

"It smells like death in here..." said Jade.

"...Fun," said Fyr.

"There is a lot of motion ahead," said Spark, "...I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well that's the most encouraging thing I've heard all day," said Fyr.

Jade took a deep breath. "Let's go."

The Guardians made their way cautiously into the room. All of a sudden screeches echoed through the blackness and Fyr saw green glowing eyes appear at the opposite end.

He held up his hand cannon. "Now it's _really_ a party!"

Jade clutched her fusion rifle. "What are those things?!"

"It's the Hive," said Spark grimly, "They're already here."

Something rushed at them. As it passed through the light beam, Fyr nearly dropped his gun. The creature was eyeless and bony, a pale white color. Its form was pitted and twisted and it shrieked as it came clawing towards them. Fyr held up his gun, hands shaking. He pulled the trigger, but the only response was an empty click.

"Shit!" Hastily, he began to reload.

Jade shot at the creature, but the beam missed it, striking a metal crate instead. It screeched and rushed at her, clawing the fusion rifle out of her hand.

"Jade!" Fyr cursed as he fumbled with the ammo, trying to get it into his gun.

The creature raised its claw to strike his friend down. In the split second before the claw came down, Jade threw her hand up to protect her face. As she did, a glowing orange energy seemed to emanate from her palm, engulfing the alien and burning it to ash. Fyr's eyes went wide and he stood there, dumbstruck for a few seconds. Then the screeching of other creatures reminded him to get moving. He finished reloading and brought his hand cannon up just in time to catch the two other creatures that sprinted in. He heard Jade's fusion rifle firing, lighting up the area in brief flashes as she took down enemies on the other side. Toward the opposite end of the room, more aliens were shooting purple blasts of light. These had three eyes each, all glowing green.

"I got those, you kill these ones!" said Jade, turning her fusion rifle to the shooting aliens.

Fyr nodded and drew his knife, swiftly taking out the claw creatures. Soon, the room was empty of aliens. Fyr sheathed the knife, breathing heavily. He heard several clicks as Jade reloaded her fusion rifle.

"My PD looks clear," she said, "How's yours?"

Fyr glanced at the corner of his HUD. "All good over here," he replied, "...Man, what the hell _were_ those things?!"

"The ones that sprinted at you are called Thrall," said Delta, "The other ones were Acolytes."

"Great..."

"That's not all," Spark added, "There's a Wizard here... You'll have to kill it."

Fyr moved forward, Jade next to him. "Yeah, we'll get it... Y'know, I always wanted to be a wizard..."

"Well trust me, you don't want to be _this_ kind."

They headed through a doorway at the back of the room and climbed two more flights of stairs. Their Ghosts turned off their lights as their surroundings brightened. As they reached the top of the second flight, more Thrall rushed at them. Luckily Jade was able to take them out with a few blasts of her fusion rifle. There were more Acolytes in the second room. Once _they_ were taken care of, Fyr and Jade warily made their way into the next room.

As they entered, something swooped through the air overhead. It was another alien, though different from the rest. Its head was triangular and it didn't seem to have any legs, just robes that hung down where its legs should have been. It shrieked at them and the Acolytes around it began firing their purple blasts. Fyr ducked to the side of the doorway and saw Jade move to the other side. He peered around the wall, noticing that the air around the Wizard had an oddly shiny quality to it.

"It's got some kinda shield," he guessed, "I can't get a clear shot with all these other guys in the way! If only I had a..." He looked down, suddenly spotting something. "...grenade."

A grenade was strapped to his side where there had been no grenade previously. Holstering his gun, he grabbed the grenade. _I hope this works._ "Welp here goes..."

With as much force as he could muster, he chucked it into the group of Acolytes. The ensuing blast sent them hurtling every which way. He grabbed his hand cannon. "Ok. The minions are dead. Now we can both shoot the Wizard."

Jade nodded. "On three?"

He nodded back.

"One...two...three!"

Simultaneously, they stepped out and fired at the Wizard. It hissed and shot at them with energy blasts, but in the end it was no match for their combined shots. Fyr cheered as it disintegrated.

"Hell yeah! Who's the man!"

"Seeing as you didn't take it down single-handedly, we both are," said Jade.

"You _know_ it! ...Mission accomplished!"

" _Well I'll be damned,"_ said Kaedro, " _You two didn't do half-bad."_

"Of course not! Look who you're talking to!"

" _Be that as it may,"_ said Bazzle, " _News of the Hive on Earth is quite...disturbing. I would even go so far as to say it's our most pressing concern."_

"Why?" asked Jade, "I mean the _Fallen_ are here, so why is another alien race on Earth such a problem?"

" _The Hive are not the Fallen,"_ said Bazzle darkly, _"They have not been seen on Earth in centuries_ _... There's a strong possibility that the Darkness could be much closer than we thought."_

"Yes. We should probably get moving," said Spark.

As the two Guardians headed back through the Complex toward the exit, Fyr remembered something. "Yo, Jade. When we were being attacked by those Thrall, how'd you do the thing with the hand?" He made a pushing motion and mimicked an explosion noise.

"I have no idea," said Jade, "I've never done that before."

"I think I know!" said Delta, "All Guardians are able to use the Light as a weapon in some way... I think you just discovered your ability!"

Jade looked down at her hands. "What ability?"

"All Guardians have three different potential abilities or subclasses," said Spark, "Warlocks can be Voidwalkers, Sunsingers, or Stormcallers, which are the rarest. I believe _you_ are a Sunsinger. That means you can use solar energy to burn your enemies, as you did back there. Also, if you practice, you should eventually be able to resurrect yourself."

"Whoa. Ok... Sunsinger, then."

"Self-resurrection?" said Fyr, " _Damn_!" _That's such a cool ability!_ He looked down at his own hands. _I wonder if I'll ever get to do stuff like that?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it! Jade discovered her subclass. That just leaves Fyr. What subclass do you guys think he'll be? Also, I'm sorry for the delay in posting. I was trying to get this chapter up yesterday but I kept being told the connection was unsecure. Luckily, everything seems fine now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
> 
> Chapter 10 will come on Saturday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	10. Worse Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"There are flames that even the Darkness cannot extinguish." - Grimoire of the Sunsinger**

* * *

 

Jade sat in silence as the ship sailed through warp space. She could hardly believe everything that had happened back there. _I burned that alien...with my bare hand. How is that possible?_

"Are you ok?" Delta asked.

Jade glanced over at her Ghost. "I'm fine, just...trying to come to terms with what happened."

"The fact that you're a Sunsinger?"

Jade wasn't sure but she thought Delta sounded kind of proud. "Yeah..."

"Don't worry about that," her Ghost assured, "It happens to every Guardian. Talk to Ikora. She'll help you."

"Thanks, Delta."

"Just doing my job! Speaking of which...we'll be entering atmo in 2 minutes."

Jade nodded. A few minutes later, she and Delta were exiting the Hangar. "Has Fyr landed yet?" Jade asked.

"Not yet, but Spark just told me they're approaching as we speak."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Fyr came swaggering out of the Hangar. "That was _awesome_! Sign me up for the next mission!"

"Later," said Spark, "We need to find Bazzle and Kaedro. I'm sure they want to speak with us."

The two Guardians in question were waiting for them on the other side of the plaza, but they were not alone. Another Exo stood with them, clad in purple Titan armor. His eyes were red and his plating was orange with aqua highlights. He also had a horn on his head, like the one Cayde had. He turned to look at them.

"These the ones?"

"Yep, that's them," Kaedro replied.

The other Exo stuck out a hand. "Heya. The name's Rogue-12."

"Jade Wrythal," said Jade, shaking his hand.

"Fyr Allerton," said Fyr as he too shook hands.

Rogue nodded and motioned to a dark gray Ghost that hovered next to him. "This is Cable," he said, "Wanna know why I call 'im that?"

The Ghost sighed, sounding resigned. "Here we go again..."

"He rezzed me in the Cos," said Rogue, "Then these Fallen showed up, tryin' to take me out. Above us, there was this old metal crate suspended by this rusty cable... He _cuts_ the cable, tryin' to kill the Fallen... Crushes _me_ instead and has to rez me a _second_ time." The Exo started laughing. He obviously found the story hilarious.

Bazzle and Kaedro chuckled. Cable sighed again. "Must you _always_ bring that up?"

"Never gets old," said Rogue.

"I'm sure it doesn't."

"Well... This is Spark," said Fyr, "He never dropped a crate on me."

"No matter how much I've wanted to," Spark muttered.

"I'm Delta!" said Delta, "I also haven't dropped any kind of heavy object on my Guardian."

"Let's hope it stays that way," Kaedro joked, "...Anyway, Rogue here just got back from the Crucible."

Rogue nodded. "Showed the punks in there a thing or two."

Jade raised her eyebrows, surprised. "I thought there weren't that many Guardians left."

Rogue laughed. "You kidding? Even _three_ Guardians would be enough for Crucible... There were quite a few in there today."

Bazzle cleared his throat. "Before we stray too far off topic... I believe congratulations are in order. Wrythal and Allerton have just completed their first mission."

"Really?" said Rogue.

"You bet your butt we did!" said Fyr.

Rogue laughed and clapped him on the back. "Well well, looks like your initiation's complete! You ever wanna go Crucible with me, you just let me know."

"Should we report to the Vanguard?" Jade asked. She still wasn't completely sure how the whole 'mission' thing worked. "They'll want to know the Hive are on Earth, right?"

Kaedro nodded. "Yeah. The sooner they know the better."

Bazzle sighed. "I'm afraid reporting to the Vanguard will have to wait. They have requested no interruptions."

Rogue laughed. "Interruptions of what? Their paperwork?"

"Hold on," said Jade, turning her gaze to Bazzle, "You said the Hive were our most pressing concern. If this information is as vital as it sounds, I'm sure the Vanguard will make an exception."

Rogue waved it off. "Eh, I'm sure it can wait... What say we head to the City? Hit up a bar?"

Fyr grinned. "Hell yeah!"

"You guys can," said Kaedro, "The bar isn't really my scene... I think I'm gonna turn in early, get some rest."

"He's just saying that 'cause he got into all those fights back in the day," Rogue told Fyr.

"You're one to talk!" said Kaedro, "You got into _twice_ the fights I did! ...Is there even a bar in the City you're _not_ banned from?"

"Sorry to cut this short," said Spark, "But Jade has a point. The Vanguard should be informed of the Hive's movements. We don't want a repeat of Mare Imbrium."

There was a long moment of silence. Then Rogue spoke up. "Man, your Ghost is a party-killer."

"You're telling _me_ ," said Fyr. He sighed. "Still, he's gonna keep bugging me about this so I might as well go."

"Thanks, Spark," said Jade.

"Well if you two are gonna go report to the Vanguard, I think I'm gonna head back to my room," said Rogue, "We'll see about that bar tomorrow... You goin' too, Kay?"

"Yeah." Kaedro turned to the rest of them. "See you guys tomorrow." With that, the two Exos made their way toward the Guardians' quarters.

Bazzle sighed. "I would join you, but I have business on the Wall."

Fyr nodded. "It's cool dude. Catch ya later." After the Titan left, he turned to Jade. "I can't believe you'd rather report to the Vanguard than go to the _City_!"

"You _know_ it's the right thing to do," said Jade, "We're Guardians, Fyr. This is our _job_. If we don't do it then there won't _be_ a City to go to."

Fyr sighed. "Man, I hate it when you're right... Let's go then."

* * *

As they entered the Vanguards' room, Jade was surprised to see that they were not the only ones paying a visit.

Standing across from Cayde was a very strange looking Guardian. She wore black armor with spikes on the shoulders and her head was almost completely covered by a hood. What could be seen of her face was ashen-colored and she wore a black cloth across the upper half, though it didn't completely conceal her three glowing eyes or the black substance that streamed endlessly down her cheeks. In her hands, she held a strange glowing orb that was wreathed in ghostly green flames. She looked up at their entrance, as did the Vanguards. Each wore a different expression. Ikora looked curious, Zavala looked irritated, and Cayde... Well, Jade couldn't really tell. Exos were hard to read.

"Allerton. Wrythal," said Zavala sharply, "What are you doing here?"

Jade shot Fyr a look. "We came to give our report," she said, "The mission was a success."

Zavala looked puzzled. "Mission?"

"We were assigned by the Speaker to investigate Fallen activity in the Cosmodrome."

Zavala frowned. "Even if your mission was assigned by the Speaker, a member of the Vanguard would have had to sign off on it." There was a long pause. Zavala turned to look at Cayde suspiciously.

The Hunter coughed. "Soooo... Successful then? Good. That's...good."

Zavala opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Jade broke in. "Sir? I know you didn't authorize it, but that mission might have saved the Tower _and_ the City... The Hive have arrived on Earth."

At this, the stranger's head snapped up. Ikora's gaze sharpened. "The Hive on Earth..." She sighed. "Well, authorized or not, you were right to bring this to us... I don't think any of us can dispute that."

Zavala frowned but nodded. "This is troubling," he said, "Especially with-" He glanced at the stranger, cutting off his words. "...Very well," he said finally, "You are dismissed."

Cayde cleared his throat. "Hang on there, Zav. Now I wouldn't know a thing about this 'mission' someone... _allegedly_ signed off on. But if we're gonna start movin' against the Hive, we might want these two to stick around. It ain't like we got a ton of options here. There ain't many other Guardians at the Tower so we might want 'em here if we're gonna talk strategy... Just a point of interest."

Zavala sighed. "...Fine. They can stay."

"Cool," said Fyr, whose gaze was fixed on the stranger suspiciously, "But if we're staying, I wanna know who the lady with the creepy ball is... She keeps staring at me."

Zavala looked unimpressed but Ikora spoke up, amusement in her tone. "This is Eris Morn," she said, "She was a member of the fireteam that disappeared on the Moon several years ago."

Jade's eyes widened in realization. Delta had said something about the Moon expedition when she recounting the Guardians' history. " _...just a few years ago, survivors of Mare Imbrium gathered a fireteam and entered the Hive fortresses on the Moon. They...never came back..."_

Cayde spoke next. "Yeah. Apparently, she's the only survivor. Lasted for years among the Hive... I think she went a bit..." He twirled his finger next to his head.

Unfortunately the stranger - Eris Morn - saw him. "I'm not mad!" she said, "The signs are real!"

Zavala cleared his throat. "Whether they are real or not remains to be seen," he said, "At any rate, Eris has...warned us of a coming threat - worse than any we've encountered before."

"His name is Crota," Eris said, "And his spawn now walk this world."

"Yeah... That," said Cayde.

"Now that we know the Hive are on Earth, we must find out what they're planning," said Ikora, "We must strike back."

Zavala sighed and all at once, Jade saw what was going on. _He doesn't trust Eris_ , she realized, _But_ Ikora _does and she's trying to convince him to make a move._ She waited for the Titan's response.

"I am not inclined to send Guardians on missions based on...uncertain sources," he said, "However, the presence of the Hive on Earth calls for...consideration."

Cayde nodded. "Yeah. We should look into sendin' a Guardian to investigate... Hell, maybe even think about liftin' the lunar sanctions."

Zavala shot him a look. "I don't know if we would go _that_ far, Cayde. Those sanctions were put in place for a reason."

"Whatever you plan to do, we must be swift," said Eris, "Until we find Crota, we're all just water racing down the drain..."

Just then, a crazy idea popped into Jade's head. "We could go." The Vanguards turned to stare at her. "Fyr and I. We could do it."

"The Moon? I'm _so_ ready!" said Fyr.

But Zavala shook his head. "Though both of you have proven to be...adept, this mission would require a Guardian with more experience."

"C'mon, Zav!" said Cayde, "They're here now, they've worked together before, and they just came back from a successful mission."

"You've interfered enough, Cayde. I'm going to let the mission sign off slide, but any future lunar mission will involve a more-experienced Guardian." Cayde rolled his eyes but relented. Zavala looked back to Jade. "Dismissed, Wrythal."

Jade's mouth thinned, but she knew better than to press the issue. Nodding at the Vanguards, she turned and exited the room, Fyr following close behind.

"I'm sorry that didn't work out, Jade," said Delta sympathetically.

"Who knows? Perhaps it was for the best," said Spark.

" _Spark_!"

"What? I'm just telling them not to be discouraged."

Fyr sighed. "Man, I thought we were gonna get a Moon mission! This sucks!"

Jade sighed. "Yeah... Look, I'm feeling a bit tired. I'll see you tomorrow."

Fyr nodded. "Sure thing... Laterz." He walked off, leaving Jade and Delta to make their way to their quarters.

"Tomorrow, you should speak with Ikora," said Delta, "She'll want to know about your discovery of your Sunsinger abilities."

Jade nodded. "I'll talk to her..." She laughed. "If I'd known how life as a Guardian would turn out, maybe I would've preferred to stay dead."

"With what the Hive are planning, it isn't a good idea to jinx yourself..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Fyr and Jade have finally met Eris. I won't give anything away, but things are gonna start ramping up in the upcoming chapters. S/o to all my readers. Much love 3
> 
> Next chapter on Wednesday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	11. Altered Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"We once looked to the Moon and saw hope. Now we see only the power of the Darkness." - Grimoire of the Moon**

* * *

 

When Jade entered the Hall of Guardians, Cayde and Ikora were the only two in the Vanguard room. Cayde noticed her questioning look.

"Yeah, Zavala took Eris and her pet rock to see the Speaker. Also..." He lowered his voice. "I'm not really meant to be tellin' you this, but a Guardian was sent to the Moon earlier this mornin'...so we'll see if he digs anything up."

"Did you come here for a reason, Jade?"

Cayde turned back to his map, but Jade was pretty sure he was planning to listen in. "...Um, yes, actually... Yesterday during the mission, Fyr and I were attacked by Thrall and when one came after me...it was like I lit it on fire, but I didn't even touch it."

Ikora nodded solemnly. "I believe I understand... You are a Sunsinger."

"Yeah, that was what Delta said, but I just- what does that even mean?"

Ikora studied her for a moment before speaking. "...The Sunsinger's song is one felt in the head, the heart, and the soul. When it falls upon your allies, your wings are their wings. Your Light, their Light."

"So you're saying that I can lend power to other Guardians?"

"That is merely one facet of a Sunsinger's power. Sunsingers are able to manipulate the sun's energy in many ways. Solar grenades and flame shields are but a few others. The highest tier of Sunsingers is the Fireborn. If you manage to harness this ability, you will be able to summon your Light from beyond the grave, thereby restoring yourself to life."

"...This- this is a lot to take in..."

Ikora nodded sympathetically. "The path of a Warlock is not an easy path to tread. However, it is often through our greatest struggles that we realize our true strength... To become a Sunsinger, you must not wait for answers to come to you, but seek them out on your own."

"Dontcha just love cryptic advice?" Cayde muttered, "Must be a Warlock thing."

Ikora turned to face the Hunter, regarding him with an unimpressed expression. "What was that, Cayde?"

He looked up. "Uh, nothin'. I was just sayin' you give good...advice."

"That's what I thought." Ikora turned back to face Jade. "Feel free to come to me with any further questions. I may not be a Sunsinger myself, but I have instructed many that were."

Jade nodded. "In the meantime, use your missions to hone your abilities, and you may become Fireborn yet."

Jade nodded again. "Thank you."

Ikora nodded back before returning her attention to the tomes in front of her. Taking the dismissal for what it was, Jade began the walk back through the Hall of Guardians. When she came to the end, she looked up in surprise. Standing in front of her was none other than Eris Morn, the only Guardian to return from the moon. She still clutched her orb close, like she was afraid someone might take it.

"Guardian," she said.

"Hello... Eris," said Jade a bit warily. As much as she wanted to give Eris a chance, she still wasn't completely sure about her. "Where's Commander Zavala? I thought you went to see the Speaker?"

Eris nodded. "Yes, we met with the Speaker. Zavala is still there now... And where were you coming from?"

"I was just speaking to Ikora."

Eris nodded again. "Ikora understands. She's the only one who understands. Without her, I'd be alone."

Jade's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Zavala does not trust me. He thinks I've turned against the Guardians. Joined the Hive. As if!"

"What about Cayde?"

Eris scoffed. " _Cayde_. I knew him before. He's just as ridiculous as he was back then."

"So Ikora's the only one who trusts you?"

"She listens. She believes me. She has invited me to join her Hidden. To be among them... It is an honor."

"Do you think the Guardian they sent will find anything?"

"For his sake, I pray he does not."

Jade nodded. "I have to go."

Eris nodded back. "Spread the word, Guardian: if you aren't hunting Crota, you're just killing time until he gets here."

* * *

Jade met Fyr in the dining hall for lunch. As soon as he sat down, he started talking, heedless of the food that was in his mouth.

"So guess what."

Jade sighed. "What?"

"You gotta guess."

"I'm not going to guess."

" _Damn_. You were right," Fyr told Spark.

"I _told_ you she wouldn't want to guess," Spark replied, " _No_ one likes guessing."

Fyr sighed. "I know... Anyway, last night I found out that Kay and Rogue are _also_ on our level!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Kay's right next to you in 3F and Rogue's the last one on the floor in 3G!"

"Huh... Wait a second. If they were here before us, why aren't they in _our_ rooms?"

Fyr shrugged. "I guess they like being at the end. Or maybe they want a barrier between them and Bazzle... I wonder if he snores?"

"Did you find out anything about who's in 3B and 3C?"

"Huh? Nah. Why?"

"I don't know. It's just...I asked Bazzle about it our first day here and his response was weird."

"Weird? What kinda weird? Like 'he killed them and he doesn't want us to know about it' weird or 'he's actually crazy and has imaginary friends' weird?"

Jade shook her head. "It was just weird. I could try asking again... Is he around today?"

Fyr shook his head. "Nope. He left earlier with Kay and Rogue... Wish _I_ could go..."

Jade ignored that. "I guess I'll ask him tomorrow, then."

* * *

But as it turned out, fate had other plans in mind. She had just left her room and was on her way to breakfast when Delta stopped her.

"I'm sorry, Jade," she said regretfully, "It doesn't look like we'll make it to the dining hall... You've been summoned by the Vanguard."

Jade raised an eyebrow and changed her course. "Do you know why?"

"...They didn't say."

"Well, I guess everyone likes surprises..."

She entered the Vanguard room and her eyebrows shot up. Fyr was there. _I didn't think we were_ both _summoned..._ As she moved further into the room, she noticed that Eris was also present. "Um...what is this about?"

"I'm afraid we have some bad news," said Zavala, "...The Guardian we sent to the Moon hasn't returned yet. We checked in and it appears that his signal has gone dark... Torelli would be my first choice for this mission, but he and the others left on a Cosmodrome patrol..."

"So what do you want _us_ to do?" Jade asked.

"Are they saying what I think they're saying?" said Fyr excitedly.

"Basically we need you two to head to the Moon and see what's what," said Cayde.

Fyr pumped his fist. " _Hell_ yeah! When do we leave?"

"The sooner, the better," said Zavala, "Holliday has prepped your ships. They are waiting in the Hangar for you... Good luck, Guardians."

As she and Fyr left the room, Jade heard Eris scoff. "They will need more than luck if they are to succeed, Commander."

* * *

"We're approaching the Moon now," said Jade, "You ready?"

" _I was_ born _ready!_ " said Fyr, " _Dude! We're gonna see the_ Moon _!_ "

Jade brought her ship in to skim over the Moon's surface. "Transmat point coming up..."

" _You know_ ," said Spark thoughtfully, " _I used to look up here at night and wonder what the Hive were doing, but the only activity I could ever pick up was hazy - like it was blocked...or buried."_

"Spark," Delta chided, "I thought you were going to try being more positive."

" _Will positivity help us if we get surrounded by the Hive?"_

Delta sighed.

"We've reached the transmat zone," said Jade.

There was a flash of light and she found herself landing on the Moon's rocky grey surface. Fyr landed next to her. "Cool! Let's explore!"

"Fyr, this is a mission," said Jade, "We're here to pick up the trail of a missing Guardian. Focus."

"I tell him that all the time," said Spark, "Anyway, the Guardian's last known coordinates are up ahead."

"Marvelous," said Jade, "Come on."

The two Guardians hiked up a short hill. "That building there," said Delta, "On your left."

"The Guardian's last known report said he captured this old accelerator from an unknown Fallen house," said Spark.

"There's Fallen on the Moon too?" said Fyr, "Man, those guys are _everywhere._ "

They entered the building and Jade blinked as her helmet adjusted itself so she could see. "Some of this equipment shows recent activity," said Spark.

"It must have been the Guardian's Ghost," said Delta.

"Is there somewhere, in particular, we should be looking?" Jade asked.

"There's a terminal at the back," Delta replied.

Jade nodded and turned to Fyr. "Why don't you watch the entrance while Delta and I go check out the terminal?"

Fyr shrugged. "Fine with me."

As Jade neared the terminal, Delta appeared by her side and began to hack. "Anything?"

"It looks like he was looking for the remains of an old colony base. It's not too far... He could still be there."

"Let's hope so..."

"Uhh Jade?" said Fyr, "The Fallen decided to crash our party!"

"Damnit!" Jade grabbed her fusion rifle and ran to the front. Fyr had drawn his hand cannon and was busy picking off Fallen. Jade took out a Captain and then called out to him. "Fyr! See if you can get the ones on that building over there."

Fyr nodded and holstered his hand cannon before retrieving his sniper rifle from his back. A few shots later, there were no Fallen left.

"Nice job," said Jade, impressed.

Fyr slung his sniper across his back again and dusted off his hands. "All in a day's work!"

"Hate to interrupt," said Spark, "But Delta and I linked your Sparrows. You can grab them now... The base we're looking for is on the other side of the ridge."

Jade nodded. "Thanks."

Soon, she and Fyr were zooming across the dusky lunar landscape, dodging groups of Fallen. They rounded a corner and Jade saw a raised cylindrical building some distance ahead. "Is that where we want to go?"

"Yes," said Delta, "That's where the Guardian was going."

The way into the building was somewhat roundabout, but they eventually made it inside. In the center of the room was another terminal that Spark hacked.

"It looks like the Guardian left notes behind... They're all about someplace that's not too far from here... The 'Temple of Crota.' ...Sounds like a death trap," he added as an afterthought.

"I'm all _about_ death traps!" said Fyr, "Let's go kick the death trap's butt!"

Upon exiting the base, Jade noticed that their path was blocked by a group of Fallen. "Delta...what's the giant purple thing that looks like an eye?"

"That's a Servitor," said Delta, "The Fallen depend on them for their supply of ether."

"Let's kill it!" said Fyr.

Jade grabbed his arm. "Wait." She pointed. "It would be a lot easier to sneak around them to the pass."

"What? But I wanna fight them!"

"The sooner we find this Temple, the sooner we'll find out what happened to that Guardian."

Fyr considered that for a moment. "I guess that makes sense... Fine. Let's go."

They only had to sneak for a few yards before they were safely past the Fallen and entering the pass. "Nice!" said Fyr, "We made- oh! That is very cliff..."

Jade rolled her eyes and turned to see what he was looking at. "Holy- You're not wrong."

The side of the path suddenly dropped off to become an extremely vertical cliff. Only a few rusty metal barricades stood between them and emptiness.

"...Let's keep moving," said Jade. She had no intentions of falling. They clambered their way over a pile of rocks and continued down the path, which had become very narrow and dark.

"The ground here is hollowed out for _miles_..." said Spark, "Who knows what's happening under your feet..."

"Fyr?" said Jade.

"Yeah?"

"Does your Ghost have a mute button?"

"'Fraid not."

"...More's the pity."

They kept walking. Suddenly, the path opened up into a large stony clearing. Directly ahead of them loomed a pair of towering doors lit with a sickly pale light.

"...I think we found the Temple," said Jade in a small voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like things are starting to get interesting for Jade and Fyr. I hope I got Eris right and I hope that this story is living up to the first one. Btw, many thanks to the guest who left kudos <3
> 
> I don't remember if I said this yet but all credit goes to Bungie for the characters and storyline of Destiny, as well as any in-game dialogue that appears in my writing.
> 
> Next chapter will come out on Saturday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox
> 
> P.S. I hope that those of you who play D2 had a fun time with Crimson Days. I know I did.


	12. Forces Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The Hive are an ancient, festering evil. Their antipathy to the Light transcends hatred. To the Hive, the eternal struggle between Light and Dark is not only a war, it is a crusade - all Light must be devoured so Darkness can reclaim the universe." - Grimoire of the Hive**

* * *

 

As they approached the entrance to the Temple, Fyr looked around at the pitted lunar surface. "This place isn't very friendly."

"I noticed," said Jade.

Then Fyr noticed something odd. A small mound lay in front of the Temple doors. "What's that?"

"What?" asked Jade.

"Up ahead," said Delta, "...Guardian down."

As they neared, Fyr saw the Ghost was right. The mound was indeed the crumpled figure of a Guardian, who seemed to have been a Titan. His armor was mostly dark with red and yellow coloring. Spark materialized in front of them to scan the body.

"There's nothing left..." said Jade sadly.

"Not even the Light?" asked Delta.

"Where's his Ghost?" asked Fyr. All of a sudden, the doors of the Temple began to open, moving on noiseless hinges. "Uh-oh..."

"We've woken the Hive!" said Spark, vanishing in a wink.

"Let's move back..." suggested Jade.

Fyr nodded and they both began to back away from the Temple. As the doors finished opening, Thrall came pouring out. The Guardians backpedaled. Jade glanced to the right.

"You stay here!" she said, "I'm going to go up there and pick them off!"

Fyr nodded as he drew his hand cannon and knife, barely registering her departure. He sliced through the Thrall and took out several of the Acolytes with Jade's help. Just then, a giant spiky _thing_ came charging through the doors, firing off shots left and right.

"What the hell is _that?!_ " Fyr exclaimed, his voice cracking.

"A Knight!" said Spark.

Fyr drew his sniper rifle and fired at the Knight's head. But unfortunately he'd been too rushed in pulling the trigger and his shot missed, hitting the Knight in the shoulder. Instantly, it conjured a shield, grey, solid as rock, and rippling with black sorcery along its edges. "Well, how do I kill it _now_?"

Luckily, the shield wasn't up for long. This time, Fyr made sure his shot hit the right place and watched as the Knight crumpled to the ground. "How many left?" he asked as he reloaded.

" _Just killed the last one,"_ said Jade, " _I'm coming down now."_ Sure enough, she joined him a few seconds later.

"What now?" asked Fyr, "Do we go in?"

"I'm detecting the dying Light of a Ghost inside," said Spark.

"...I'll take that as a yes."

Past the doors was a circular room with a large empty space in the middle of the floor. Across the gap was a Wizard accompanied by a squadron of Acolytes. "This shouldn't be too hard," said Fyr.

"...I wouldn't be so sure," said Jade.

"She's right," said Spark, "This Wizard is much more powerful than the last one you faced."

" _Great_ ," said Fyr. He turned to Jade, "So you want the guppies or the Big Kahuna?"

Jade sighed. "I'll take the Acolytes... You're sure you can kill that Wizard?"

Fyr shrugged. "How hard can it be?"

"If you say so... Engaging now!"

Jade's first shot dissolved two Acolytes. The others ducked behind pillars, shooting their purple blasts. Jade moved around toward the left side, drawing their fire. Meanwhile, Fyr moved down the right and hid behind a pillar.

"Ok," he said, "She's right around that corner... Spark, how much ammo is left?"

"One shot."

" _What_? You're joking, right? ...Never mind, you don't do jokes. Shit. What about the rocket launcher?"

"That is a feasible option...if you want to blow _yourself_ up."

"Damn. You're right... Sniper?"

"Too close range."

Fyr sighed. "Well, at least I have this grenade... Fire in the hole!"

He grabbed the grenade and chucked it in the Wizard's direction. The grenade bounced and rolled under the Wizard before exploding in a burst of golden light. The Wizard shrieked in rage. "Ooh she mad!" said Fyr. He looked down at his hand cannon.

"Welp, here we go... Hype time! One shot wonder! Blaze of glory! Yahh!"

He jumped out from behind the pillar, gun raised. As he took aim, he felt a strange power course through his body. It was as though he was channeling the condensed energy of one of Venus' volcanoes. He shot at the Wizard and the bullet hit her right in the skull. She screamed as she died, disintegrating in a blazing light until nothing was left but ash floating through the air. Fyr looked down at his gun in shock.

"What the holy hell was _that_?!" He turned and saw Jade walking up. "You saw that right?"

She nodded. "As much as I want to find out what the hell just happened, the mission comes first... Delta, do you have a location on that Ghost?"

"Yes. It's at the back wall."

Fyr looked around and spotted a pillar that looked as though it had been broken off halfway up. Towards its base was a small hollowed out area with a Ghost inside. Delta appeared next to them to scan it.

"The Ghost is dead," she said sadly, "...But I can still read some of its memories. The Hive are raising an army here, preparing to invade Earth."

Fyr shot Jade a look. "That's not cool... We gotta stop them."

Jade nodded. "We need to report this to the Vanguard."

"Does that mean we can get out of here now? This place gives me the creeps..."

"Yeah, let's get going. The Vanguard need to know about this as soon as possible."

* * *

 

"Allerton. Wrythal. What do you have to report?" asked Zavala.

Fyr glanced at Jade, figuring it was his turn to talk to the Vanguard. She nodded. He took a breath. "The Guardian is dead... We found his Ghost inside the Temple."

There was a moment of solemn silence amongst the Vanguard. "It is as we feared," said Ikora, "Were you able to retrieve anything from his Ghost?"

"Yeah. Apparently, the Hive're planning to invade Earth... They're building an army."

"Well, Eris, I gotta hand it to ya, you sure called _that_ one," said Cayde.

"Do not make light of this, Cayde," Eris hissed, "...This means we have less time than we thought. We must move fast."

"Is there a way we can figure out what the Hive's plan is?" Jade asked.

"...There is a place," said Eris slowly, "Toland told me of a library in the fortress... The World's Grave. It is said to hold everything the Hive know of Earth."

"Excellent," said Cayde, "All we gotta do is send you two down there and your Ghosts can steal the info."

"It will not be that easy," said Eris, "The World's Grave is deep within the fortress...and it is not left unguarded. An ancient Knight protects it. You must face him if you wish to enter the Grave."

"Great!" said Fyr, "When do we leave?"

"We must not get ahead of ourselves," said Zavala, "Wrythal and Allerton did well, but I believe I have another Guardian in mind."

"What is it _now_?" said Cayde, "You can't bring qualifications into this anymore, Zav."

"Nevertheless, I do not want them on this mission. I will send Torelli instead." He turned back to Fyr and Jade. "This does not mean I think any less of you two as Guardians or that I don't think you can succeed... I want you to know that."

Fyr opened his mouth to retort, but Jade cut him off. "We understand, sir."

Zavala nodded. "Good. You are dismissed."

* * *

"What the hell, Wrythal?!" demanded Fyr as they crossed the plaza. "We could've got sent on a super radical mission and now we're stuck in the Tower again!"

"We can't always be the ones going out on missions, Fyr. Other Guardians should have the chance to prove themselves."

Fyr shook his head. "You're crazy. It was a _library_ mission, Jade! A freakin' _library_! ...Are you even a real Warlock?"

Jade sighed. "I know. But staying at the Tower gives us the opportunity to discuss...other things... You know, something's been eating at me for a while..."

"What?"

Jade suddenly stopped walking, forcing Fyr to stop as well. He looked at her noticing her furrowed brows and how she kept biting her lip. "I just keep coming back to the same question: What was Bazzle doing on Venus?"

Fyr shrugged. "Beats me... Why do _you_ care?"

"When I asked him about it, he said it 'wasn't relevant to us'... It just seemed kind of shady. I guess it stuck with me... I've always had problems with letting things go."

Fyr's eyes widened. " _Dude_ ," he said, "Do you think he's an interplanetary drug dealer?"

"What? _No!_ I just think he could be hiding something from us."

"Like the fact that he deals _drugs_."

"Like those two empty rooms... Whose rooms are they? Why didn't he want to tell us about them?"

"Maybe they were whistleblowers and he had to silence them before they revealed his entire operation!"

"Oh my- Bazzle is _not_ a drug dealer!"

"Just brainstorming. Anyway, even if he _is_ hiding something, how're we gonna find out what it is?"

Jade started walking again. "I don't know. But I'll come up with something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man it's getting on a roll! Jade's taken it upon herself to find out what Bazzle was doing on Venus. I guess you guys'll just have to wait and see if her investigation bears any fruit. In other news, Fyr has just been revealed to be a Gunslinger! Anyway, I won't keep you guys for much longer but s/o to everyone who's taken an interest in this story!
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	13. Error 404

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The Vex had decided their end. The Guardians had interceded. The Vex were fallible." - Grimoire of Praedyth's Door**

* * *

Jade shut the book with a groan. She and Fyr were halfway into their third hour and they still hadn't found anything. She glanced over to Fyr, who was fast asleep on the table next to her. _He certainly hasn't been helping._ She poked him in the arm. "Fyr!"

He sat up, blinking blearily. "...What? Didja find somethin'?"

Jade sighed. "Afraid not."

"I _did_ have my doubts that you'd be able to find any recent information in a _library_ ," said Spark.

"You have doubts about _everything_ ," said Jade, "But if you want to help, why not tell me where to look?"

Spark sighed. "I think this is pointless. But if you really want to find out why Bazzle was on Venus, you'll have to look in the patrol logs. All missions are recorded there, even the more...covert ones."

"Any reason why you didn't tell me that before?"

"I assumed you would give up."

Fyr laughed. "You don't know her very well, dude."

"What about you, Delta? Why didn't _you_ tell me about the logs?"

"...To be completely honest with you, I forgot about them... I'm sorry."

Jade shook her head. "It doesn't matter... I don't suppose the logs can be accessed by Ghosts?"

"No," said Delta, "Unfortunately, that information is only meant for the Speaker, the Vanguard, and the faction leaders."

"But can you _hack_ it?" Fyr asked.

"Our protocol forbids that," said Spark.

"...Can the servers be accessed by any computer in the Tower?" asked Jade.

"I believe so," said Delta.

"Good." Jade got up and made her way to the back of the library, where she sat down at one of the several computer stations. "Ok, running a database search for 'mission logs'... 'Authorized Password Required'... Let's see if I can bypass it..."

Fyr sounded astonished. "You can _hack_?"

"I spent a fair amount of time working with computers back in the day... Though these are a _lot_ more high-tech."

"'Back in the day?'" Jade shrugged. "How long will it take?"

"...I should be getting through right about... _now_. Ok, where are we looking?"

"It was a couple weeks ago," said Delta, "...But there haven't been many recorded missions since then so you shouldn't have to look that far down."

"Found it!" said Jade, "... _'Designation: Mission V1024. Location: Ishtar Sink Region, Venus.'_ "

"That sounds right!" said Delta, "That's where you were when Bazzle found you."

"What was the mission's objective?" Spark asked.

"Reconnaissance. Why?"

"Hmm... There haven't been many Reconnaissance missions involving a Guardian."

"How do we even know it was him?" Fyr asked.

" _'Details: Single Guardian patrol. Mission Leader: B. Torelli.'_ "

"Ok. It's him."

"Huh. That's weird..."

"What?"

" _'Mission Status: Unknown'_..."

"What does that mean? What's mission status?"

"The mission status is what tells us if the mission was successful, unsuccessful, or incomplete..." said Spark, "I've never seen one set as 'Unknown'... I wonder if the Vanguard know about this?"

"Probably not," said Jade, "If they did, I would think they'd look into it... Hold on, there's something else here."

"What is it?" Delta asked.

"Another mission. Listen to this... _'Designation: Mission E9867. Location: Cosmodrome, Earth. Objective: Unknown. Details: Unknown. Mission Leader: Unknown. Status: Unknown_.' ...Talk about discrepancies in the system..."

"Whoa," said Fyr, "That's a lot of stuff they don't know."

"When did this mission take place?" Spark asked.

"Two months ago. Bazzle's comes right after it."

"This is getting pretty sketchy," said Fyr.

"Could they be connected?" asked Delta.

Jade shook her head. "I don't see how... Sure, their statuses are both unknown, but other than that, there's no connection. One's on Venus and one's on Earth. One has most of its information and one has next to nothing, not even an objective... Delta, did anything major happen two months ago?"

The Ghost shook her head. "Not that I remember."

"What's the last major event you can think of?"

"Hmm... The last major event... Oh! A Guardian was revived on Mercury!"

Fyr looked up. "Say what now?"

"I remember that!" said Spark, "There were no revivals for more than half a decade and then one day, a new Guardian showed up out of the blue."

"From Mercury?" said Fyr, "Dude that's _so_ hardcore!"

"I thought Mercury was conquered by the Vex..." said Jade.

"It was," replied Spark, "A Ghost was sent there by the Vanguard... For what reason, I have no idea."

"Maybe I can find it." There was a long silence in which only Jade's typing could be heard.

"Whoa," said Fyr from over her shoulder, "There's hella missions here."

"He's right," said Jade, "I don't even know where to start..."

"Try narrowing it down," Delta suggested, "It would have been about six months ago... And there aren't many Mercury missions."

Jade typed some more. "I think I got it. _'Designation: Mission M0024. Location: Mercury. Objective: Reconnaissance. Details: Single Ghost mission. Investigation of suspected Osiris activity. Mission Leader: Ghost A-6. Status: Successful_.' â€¦'Osiris'... Who's Osiris?"

Spark sighed. "He was a mad Warlock obsessed with the Vex. A long time ago, he was a member of the Vanguard...until he was exiled. The last place he was reported to be seen was Mercury."

"A crazy Warlock?" said Fyr. He looked at Jade. "Go figure."

Jade sighed. "It doesn't say anything about the Guardian the Ghost revived."

"Maybe you should check the Guardian mission logs again," said Delta helpfully.

There were a few moments of silence. "Ok... There are only two fairly 'recent' ones... Most of the missions are spread out, but these two seem to have taken place within the same week, back-to-back. Here's the first one... _'Designation: Mission E9865. Location: Cosmodrome, Earth. Objective: Strike. Details: Single Guardian mission. Breaking grasp of Fallen House of Devils on the Cosmodrome. Mission Leader: H. Hayden. Status: Successful_.' ...The second one is set the following day. _'Designation: Mission E9866. Location: Cosmodrome, Earth. Objective: Recovery. Details: Single Guardian mission. Restoration of Array and establishment of connection to lost colonies through Rasputin. Mission Leader: H. Hayden. Status: Successful._ '"

Fyr whistled. "This guy doesn't mess around!"

"Indeed," said Spark, "I had no idea that this Guardian was the one who discovered Rasputin's survival or that he was responsible for restoring the Array."

"Do you know where he is?" asked Jade.

"I'm afraid not... He may be on another mission."

"Maybe... But if he _did_ get sent on another one, then why isn't there one logged here? Do they only log complete missions?"

"Nope," said Delta, "You're right. If there was another mission, we would see it here."

"Is there a way we could find out what happened to him?"

"The dude's probably dead," said Fyr.

"Or he could just be missing."

Fyr shrugged. "Maybe."

"If you backtrack into the general database, you might be able to find something," said Delta.

"Got it." There was a long pause as Jade scrolled through the info on the screen. _This is going to take all day..._ She typed in the Guardian's name: 'H. Hayden.' "I think I found him. His revival date lines up with the timeline. His full name is Harley Hayden. Let's see... Bunch of general info: class...height...age... Aha! 'Notes.' ...Ok. He was only sent on two authorized missions, but it looks like he did a lot of stuff 'off the record.' ...Apparently, he destroyed something called 'the Black Garden.'"

"The Black Garden?" asked Fyr.

"Yes, that's what it says here... What is it?"

"The Black Garden is a legend: a birthplace of the Vex and a source of a Dark power..." said Spark, "It's interference was part of what prevented the Traveler from healing."

"Does that mean the Traveler's healing now?" Fyr asked, "'Cause that would be great news for _us_."

"Unfortunately not. The Speaker believes there is something else drawing on its power... What that may be, I have no idea, but the point remains, this 'Harley Hayden's' accomplishments went above and beyond that of most Guardians... Does the system have any record of his whereabouts?"

"Let me see... Status... MIA."

"...If his missions took place only four months ago, he must have gone missing rather recently," said Delta.

Fyr raised a hand. "I don't understand... Why do we care about this guy? I mean, no offense or anything, but I thought we were trying to find out Bazzle's darkest secrets?"

Jade sighed. "We're not trying to find out his secrets. I just wanted to know why he was on Venus...and why he didn't want to tell us."

"Aw man, that's a lot less fun."

"Does Hayden have any connections to other Guardians?" asked Spark.

"Yes, actually... It looks like another Guardian vanished around the same time he did... 'Raedryon Korrin.' Warlock. Let me pull up her file... Here we go! She's worked with Bazzle before!"

"What?"

"Apparently they ran a lot of patrols together... Bazzle might have been on Venus looking for her!"

"But wouldn't there be something telling us that she left?" asked Fyr, "The Vanguard don't just let us fly off, we gotta log where we're going with Amanda... Don't ask me how I know that."

"Hmm... If Guardians can't leave without logging it, the info _has_ to be in this database. Give me a sec... Here it is! Ok, there's Bazzle and Kaedro. There's us, then us again. Then Bazzle - that's when he picked us up... Hayden has a bunch of activity. A couple Cosmodrome flights, a bunch to Venus, a few to the Reef, and even a couple to _Mars_."

Fyr whistled. "This guy was _busy_."

"There's one right before Bazzle: Hayden _and_ Korrin. Their destination is logged as 'Cosmodrome.' That must have been the incomplete mission."

Fyr scratched his head. "But if they went to the Cosmodrome, why was Bazzle looking for them on Venus?"

Jade looked at him. "Good question... I think we need to talk to Amanda Holliday."

* * *

The Shipwright was busy messing with Kestrel's wiring when they entered.

"Yo!" said Fyr.

Amanda pushed herself out from underneath the ship with a smile. "Howdy, Fyr. How are ya?"

"Fan-freakin'-tastic. You?"

She shrugged. "Can't complain... Heya, Jade."

Jade smiled. "Hey, Amanda."

The Shipwright dusted off her hands, putting them on her hips. "So what can I do for ya?"

"We have a few questions we'd like to ask you, um, if you don't mind," said Jade, "...About someone named Harley Hayden."

Amanda's smile faltered. "What about him?"

Jade and Fyr exchanged a look. "We know that he and Raedryon Korrin left a couple months ago. The log says they went to the Cosmodrome, but..."

"You two don't think so, huh?" said Amanda wryly, "Well you'd be right about that... They went to Venus. Ace told me to keep it quiet."

Fyr looked puzzled. "'Ace?'"

"Harley."

"He gets a cool nickname?! What's _my_ cool nickname?"

Amanda laughed. "You're all set with the name you have."

Fyr nodded. "Good point."

"Do you know why they went?" asked Jade.

Amanda shrugged. "You got me there... They didn't share the reason. You wanna know more, you're better off talkin' to the Vanguard. They're more likely to have info on Ace... Speakin' of info... How'd you see those logs? Last I checked, they're restricted access."

"I found a way to access them... Are you going to tell the Vanguard?"

"Eh, I don't think they need to be bothered."

"Thanks, Amanda. We owe you one."

"Yeah, well...good luck on whatever-it-is you're doing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh snap the ball's really rolling now. How many of you guys saw this coming? I've been hinting at it for a while now. How do you think the Vanguard will react if Fyr and Jade ask them about Harley? What do you think is happening with Harley and Rae now? Just some food for thought. Anyway, big s/o to you all once more for reading and supporting my stories and many thanks to yet another guest who left kudos. <3
> 
> Chapter 14 out on Saturday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox
> 
> P.S. Sorry about the late upload again. Encountered the same connection problem as last time :P


	14. On Hold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

"What we faced on the Moon now looks to take the Earth. And none will survive if they succeed." - Grimoire of the Rise of Crota

* * *

Fyr followed Jade through the Hall of Guardians. _Why do we have to talk to the Vanguard about some random Guardian?_ he wondered, _Why do Warlocks gotta know everything?_ Though he had to admit that 'Harley Hayden,' whoever he was, seemed pretty cool. _I mean he took down that Black Garden and stuff, so that's legit._

Suddenly, Jade stopped dead, causing him to run into her. "Ok, you can't blame that one on me this time!" he said preemptively, " _You're_ the one who stopped without telling me." When Jade didn't respond, he looked up to see what was going on. "Oh." _Apparently Bazzle finishes missions_ real _fast._

The Titan was standing with Kaedro in front of Zavala, clearly finishing his report. Eris had been listening in with interest, but at Jade and Fyr's arrival, all of them had turned to see who had come in.

"Was there something you needed, Wrythal?" Zavala asked.

"Oh, um... Sorry. I didn't know you were back."

Kaedro waved her off. "It's all good. We were just finishing up here anyway." He looked back to Zavala. "Did you need anything else?"

Zavala shook his head. "No, that will be all... Thank you. Your information may prove to be essential in our fight against the Hive."

Bazzle nodded, then he and Kaedro made their way out, the latter throwing Jade and Fyr a questioning look as he left the room.

"What was it you needed, Jade?" Ikora asked.

"...Actually, I think it can wait... How did the mission go?"

"It was just dandy," said Cayde, "In and out, no complications." Zavala cleared his throat. "...Ok, unless a _tiny_ battle with the Hive counts... But in my opinion, no mission's complete without a bit of a scuffle."

"Damn straight," said Fyr.

"And that, Cayde, is precisely why you don't lead missions," said Zavala.

"Did we learn anything from the Hive?" asked Jade.

"Yes," said Ikora, "According to records from the World's Grave, the Hive have been seeding Earth for centuries while they waited for their gods to return."

Eris nodded. "Indeed," she said, "They have seen thousands of worlds taken by the Darkness... Action is needed unless we wish Earth to become one of them." She turned to Fyr and Jade. "With that in mind, I, as well as the Vanguard, have seen fit to send you on another mission." The Vanguard nodded, though Zavala didn't look happy about it.

"Nice!" said Fyr, "What's it about?"

"Long ago," Eris began, "...the Moon fell to Crota. He wielded a sword so dark, it drained whatever Light it touched. Now, Crota sleeps, but the Sword does not. It lies within a chamber guarded by the Swarm Princes... If you face them and wield the sword, we can make sure it is never wielded again."

"Sweet!" said Fyr excitedly, "I always wanted to use a sword!"

"You will leave tomorrow," said Zavala, "If the sword is destroyed, we will have a better chance of beating the Hive."

"No pressure!" Cayde added brightly.

Jade grimaced but nodded.

"You are dismissed," said Zavala.

As they made their way out onto the plaza, a question popped into Fyr's head. "Hey, what about Guardian What's-His-Face?"

Jade sighed. "I still want to find out more about him, but this mission takes precedence... I guess I'll ask the Vanguard about him when we get back."

Fyr rubbed his hands. "So we're going back to the Moon, then? Nice!"

"Why do you like it there so much?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. It's more interesting, I guess. Anywhere that's not the Tower gets automatic cool points."

Jade nodded as they continued walking. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh shoot! I totally forgot about the thing in the Temple!"

Fyr was confused. "What thing?"

"The ability you used! It completely slipped my mind with all this Hayden stuff."

"Oh _right_! Imma be honest... I kinda forgot too... What do you think it was?"

Jade shook her head. "It must have been a Guardian ability, like the one I have... You should probably talk to Cayde about it."

"Alright, let's go then!" He turned back toward the way they'd come, but Jade stopped him.

"Wait, we just left there... It would be kind of awkward if we just walked back in."

"So? I'm the king of awkward!"

"No arguments _there_ ," said Spark.

Jade bit her lip. "I don't know..."

"Then how about I go by myself? You didn't have _me_ with you when you talked to Ikora."

"That's true... Ok. I think I'll go to the library then... I'll see you later."

"Yup. See ya."

Once she left, he started to walk back toward the Hall of Guardians.

* * *

The Vanguard seemed surprised to see him. "Something you need, Allerton?" asked Zavala.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to Cayde about something."

Zavala nodded and turned his attention back to his work. Fyr walked up to Cayde.

"Hey, kid. What's this about?" the Hunter asked, "'Cause if you're gonna ask about any _supposed_ sparrow racing locations, I gotta tell you as a Vanguard that sparrow racing is illegal... _But_ I also hear that activity on Mars is runnin' pretty hot at this time of year if you catch my drift..."

Fyr shook his head and sighed. "Sadly, it's about something else... While Jade and I were in the Temple, I kinda...vaporized a Wizard. Like, I shot her with my gun but it was like some kinda special bullet or something and it set her on fire."

"Huh," said Cayde, "A new Gunslinger then."

"Gunslinger?"

"Hunter subclass. Pretty handy with guns, as implied. There's quite a few of 'em... includin' yours truly by the way."

" _You're_ a Gunslinger? Dude, that's _sick_. You got any tips?"

"Aim true," said Cayde, "Most embarrassing thing a Hunter can do is snap off a shot of Solar power only to see it splatter off a wall."

"Ah, crap. If I miss, Spark's never gonna let it go."

Cayde laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "Well good luck with that... Have fun on your Moon mission."

Zavala sighed in the background. "The purpose of these missions is to strike back at our enemies... _not_ for entertainment."

"Aw, but what's the point of 'striking back at our enemies' if we can't have a little fun while doin' it?" He winked at Fyr. "Later, kid."

Fyr grinned. "Later."

* * *

He was woken the next morning when a sudden blaze of sunlight struck his face. With a groan, he moved his arm over his eyes to shield himself from it. Someone cleared their throat loudly. Fyr frowned. No one else was supposed to be in his room. He drew his arm away from his face. Jade stood at the foot of his bed with her arms crossed, light streaming in through the open blinds behind her.

"Gah!" Fyr jumped, pulling the sheets to his chest. "What're _you_ doing here?!"

"What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here? We have a mission today!"

"Oh crap! I forgot!"

He threw off his blankets and rushed around the room, trying to get ready as fast as he could while Jade stood there with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Ok, I'm done!" he said finally.

Jade nodded and turned to leave. Fyr followed her out. He was surprised when she deviated from their usual path. "Are we...not going to the mess hall?"

She shook her head. "No time."

"B-but _breakfast_."

"Delta?" There was a faint _zap_.

Jade turned and shoved something into his hands before continuing forward. Fyr looked down. It was a cup of coffee.

"You're the _best_."

"I hate to agree with Fyr," said Spark, "But he's correct... Thank you for waking him up for me."

"No thanks necessary," Jade smirked. "It was worth it to hear him shriek."

"I did _not_ shriek," said Fyr.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Spark, "I have the audio recorded if you want me to play it back for you."

"Uh, no thanks... And what's that about 'hating to agree with me?' Isn't it your _job_ to agree with me?" They entered the Hangar.

"If it was, both of us would be long dead."

"...Whatever. Hey Amanda!"

The Shipwright turned. "Heya, Fyr. Jade. How're y'all doing this mornin'?"

"Good. You?"

"I'm not doing too bad myself. Got your ships ready for ya."

"Thanks, Amanda," said Jade. She put on her helmet as she strode over to her ship. "I'll see you in orbit," she told Fyr.

Fyr put on his own helmet and flipped his hood up. "Not if I see you first."

"Am I loggin' this as another Moon trip?" Amanda asked.

"Yup!"

She gave a whistle as she typed it in. "Wasn't too long ago that them lunar sanctions were in place... No one was going to the Moon _then_... Well, have a safe trip. Kill some Hive for me."

"Totally," said Fyr, "Spark, I'm ready for transmat."

"Here we go," said the Ghost. Soon Fyr was seated in the pilot's seat of his ship.

"Jade, you ready?" "

_Ready? I thought you already launched. I'm halfway out of the atmosphere."_

"Crap. Well, I guess I'm gonna have to catch up." His ship had barely risen when he gunned it, sending it zooming out of the Hangar and up into the clouds. Soon the blue sky was turning black and they were entering warp space.

After a few minutes of glowing colors whooshing by, they exited warp space and saw the pitted lunar surface below them. Fyr sighed in satisfaction as he was transmatted down. "Right so where do we go?" He heard a louder, more exasperated sigh from next to him.

"Do you pay _any_ attention when Zavala briefs us?"

"Honestly? ...Not really." Jade looked at him and he got the feeling she was rolling her eyes under her helmet. "What? I can't help it! Half the stuff the guy says is about striking back at the Darkness and the other half is about taking 'striking back at the Darkness' seriously!"

"...I feel bad for you," Jade said to Spark.

"I'm glad you finally appreciate my struggle," Spark replied.

"So what're we supposed to be doing?" asked Fyr.

"We have to destroy Crota's sword," said Delta helpfully, "And to do that, you have to kill its makers, the Swarm Princes."

"Great. So where do they hang out?"

"One of them is said to guard a ritual site near the Hellmouth," said Spark, "We should challenge him first."

"I'm guessing we'll need our Sparrows," said Jade.

"Correct," said Delta.

"Awesome!" said Fyr, "Sparrow time!"

On the Sparrows, the two Guardians made their way through the vehicle grid access point they'd used on their last mission. "Turn left this time," said Spark.

"What? Why?"

"We aren't going to the Temple of Crota. We're going to the Hellmouth."

Fyr adjusted his course. "The Moon has so many catchy names," he said, "They should turn it into a resort. People can get Moon condos, tan themselves in the Earthlight... Hey! Maybe we can seal up the Hellmouth and turn it into a pool!"

Spark sighed. "Just drive."

They made their way through a winding gorge and over a small hill. And then Fyr saw it. In the middle of a wide clearing sat an enormous pit, ridged around its edge. It appeared to be bottomless, or if there was a bottom it couldn't be seen through the sickly green mist that writhed and swirled in its depths. He could see exactly why it was called the Hellmouth. "Someone really knows how to name things..."

They skirted around the right side of the Hellmouth and made their way over another small hill before coming to the ritual site. The site was another pit, though it was nothing compared to the Hellmouth. It was closed on one side by a short cliff. In the middle was a strange looking pedestal with an even stranger glowing orb on top. Placed in a ring around it was a collection of boxlike pillars, all made of black stone. Fyr dismounted and saw Jade do the same. The Sparrows vanished.

"Are we in the right spot?" asked Fyr.

"Yep," said Delta, "This is where we'll find the first Swarm Prince."

"I hope you're ready," added Spark in an undertone.

As if on cue, a bunch of Acolytes swarmed out of a hole in the cliff. Fyr drew his hand cannon and began shooting them down. He was soon accompanied by the blasts of Jade's fusion rifle. Soon all of the Acolytes were dead.

Jade looked around. "Where's the Swarm Prince?"

"Yeah," said Fyr, "Dude's showing up late to his own party."

A second wave of Acolytes streamed out of the crevice, this time accompanied by a Knight. Fyr raised his hand cannon, but Jade waved him off.

"Step back. I'll get them."

Fyr frowned but backed up a couple steps, watching her. She seemed to be concentrating on something. She brought her free hand up and Fyr watched in amazement as a fiery sphere sprang to life in her palm, growing larger and hotter. Finally, in one swift motion, she drew back her arm and hurled the sphere at the Acolytes. Fyr's eyes widened as it exploded into something resembling a miniature sun, combusting the Knight and Acolytes almost instantly.

" _Damn_ ," said Fyr, "Remind me never to get on _your_ bad side." Jade smiled in satisfaction.

"Well, that's one Swarm Prince down!" said Delta.

Fyr was confused. "Wait. That was a Swarm Prince?"

"Yes," said Spark.

" _Nice_."

"I'll lead us to the others."

"Sounds good."

The two Guardians mounted their Sparrows again and set off to follow Spark's directions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Jade and Fyr are after Crota's sword now. Between investigating Harley's disappearance and keeping the Hive away from Earth, they're probable two of the busiest Guardians around (Harley not included). Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter. Many thanks to starlight for the comment and to another anonymous guest for the kudos! <3
> 
> Next chapter on Wednesday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	15. Questions Asked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The royalty of nightmare." - Grimoire of the Swarm Princes**

* * *

 

Jade tried to swallow her apprehension as they entered the Gatehouse. As surprising as it might sound, nothing about her new life had truly unsettled her until she met the Hive. The Vex she could understand to some extent. They were killer robots, nothing too mysterious about that. And the Fallen... well, sure they were aliens that looked like insects, but their previous connection to the Traveler already made them seem more...familiar. The Hive, however, were a whole _different_ kind of alien. They hated the Light, wanting nothing more than to destroy it and give rise to the Darkness. Not to mention the fate of Eris Morn. Jade wasn't sure what had happened to the Guardian in her years beneath the Moon's surface, but it seemed to have turned her into something...else. Just then, Spark decided to add to her unease.

"Not to unsettle you, but I'm tracking the Sword by the Light of the Guardians it's killed."

Next to her, Fyr groaned. "Time and place, Spark! Time and place!"

"Sorry… It's further below."

The whole way down, they encountered nothing but a few Knights, which Jade found slightly odd. At one point, they entered a chamber that looked out into the Hellmouth.

"Just so you know, you've entered a Darkness Zone," said Spark.

"A Darkness Zone with a penthouse view!" said Fyr, "Sweet!"

They continued forward and eventually made their way into a large chamber. At one end was a door and at the other was a giant chain stretched from floor to ceiling. Both of the sides had balconies that could be accessed from stairs at either end.

"I'm guessing this is it," said Jade.

"Yes," said Spark, "The Sword is close. I can feel its power."

"Greeeeaaat," said Fyr.

A group of Thrall came rushing at them. Jade whipped out her fusion rifle and took them out in a few short bursts. Further toward the other end, Acolytes leaned out from behind pillars to shoot at them.

"Got 'em!" said Fyr, shooting them down with his hand cannon.

"Wizard!" said Jade. She threw a grenade and watched as the Wizard disintegrated. "I hope that's the last of them… Do you see the Sword anywhere?"

"It's at the back," said Delta.

Jade looked. Sure enough, the Sword was floating above the ground, glowing with a strange light. She approached it and saw strange runes carved into its hilt and blade. "Huh... Delta, do you know what any of these say?"

"Afraid not... I'm sure they're nothing good though."

The blade was light grey and pitted. Its hilt was craggy and the blade had a wicked looking point jutting out at the top.

"...What do we do with it?" Jade asked.

"Leave it to me," said Fyr.

He cracked his knuckles. Before Jade could figure out what he was planning, he reached out and grabbed the Sword.

"Fyr!"

He swung it experimentally. "Oh man, I have _never_ felt more like a boss!"

"What the hell! Why would you _grab_ it?!"

"Actually, grabbing the Sword is an effective way of luring out the other Swarm Princes," said Spark, "So as much as this pains me to say, Fyr had the right idea."

"Damn right I did! Alright, where they at? I wanna kill some Hive!"

"Indeed," said Spark, "However, I advise caution. The power of that Sword is very dark-"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Let's go already!"

All of a sudden, dozens of shrieks pierced the air. "Here they come," said Jade, "I'm going to get up on one of those balconies. Think you can handle them from down here?"

"Definitely!"

"Ok…" Jade hastened to get up the stairs. She had a good vantage point and so saw immediately when tons of Thrall rose up out of nearby puddles. She took aim at them and was about to shoot when Fyr dashed in with the Sword. He lifted it in a double-handed grip over his head and brought it down with a yell. It came down with a thud that made the floor shake, sending up a shockwave of dark energy that killed the closest Thrall.

"Holy _shit_!" he yelled, "This sword kicks ass!"

"Mm-hm," said Jade in concentration as she took out several of the remaining Thrall. "Just watch out for the Swarm Princes."

Fyr slashed his way through a group of Acolytes.

"Lots of movement all around us!" said Spark, "The Princes are coming for the Sword!"

On cue, a huge Knight rose from a puddle next to Fyr. A Swarm Prince. _Oh my god!_ Jade swiveled and began blasting it with her fusion rifle. Fyr swung at it with the Sword. Unfortunately, the Prince had a sword too, and he knew how to use it. Fyr was hit with a massive uppercut. Jade winced, almost expecting him to be cut in half. Miraculously, he seemed fine, though he was backing away extremely fast.

"Jade! Think you can hit him with a grenade?!"

"Oh right. Hold on!" Jade summoned a grenade and hurled it at the Prince. It hit him right in the chest, causing him to stop. While he was distracted, Fyr came in for an attack, jumping higher than he should have been able to and bringing the Sword down on the Prince, which bellowed as it disintegrated.

"One down, three to go!" said Fyr.

Jade nodded as she blasted more Thrall and Acolytes into oblivion. Not long after, the roar of a second Prince could be heard.

"There's the second one!" said Spark unnecessarily.

"Alright. We got a strategy now!" said Fyr. He landed a couple hits before backing out. "Can you do another grenade?"

Jade sighed, but took a deep breath and summoned a second grenade. Soon, the second Prince was crumbling to dust.

"Only one more left!" said Delta.

Fyr took out another group of Acolytes. "Where is he?"

Jade looked around as best she could while shooting down more Acolytes. "I don't see him yet!" Then she spotted the Prince at the opposite end of the chamber. "Fyr! He's over there!"

"What?!"

"He's over _there_!"

"I can't hear you! These Thrall are _really_ loud!"

Jade looked over at him. Sure enough, the Hunter was engulfed in a mob of screeching Hive. Meanwhile, the Swarm Prince was advancing toward him.

"TURN AROUND!" Jade shouted.

Fyr sliced down half of the Thrall and turned. The Prince was almost upon him. "Oh shit!"

He jumped up out of the way, but the Prince's sword caught him in the leg midway through and as he landed, it collapsed beneath him.

"Fyr!"

"It's fine! All ah- good here!"

The Prince was coming after him. Jade fired at it for all she was worth, hoping to get its attention away from Fyr. "Fyr! Move!"

He shifted, then grew pale. "Not a good idea!" He turned. The Prince raised its sword. Fyr tried to bring up his Sword to block it, but he was moving too slow. The Prince's sword came down in a deadly arc and Fyr crumpled to the ground.

"FYR!" Jade drew herself up, a fiery anger filling her. Her body was coursing with a level of power she'd never felt before. With a cry of rage, she vaulted over the balcony, intending to land on the Prince's head. She summoned a grenade and hurled it down into the group of Thrall, who vanished, hissing, in the flames. She summoned another and sent it at the Prince, which crumpled to its knees. She hit it with another. And another. She summoned grenade after grenade, hurling them at every Hive in sight until at last her energy was spent. She landed on the floor, collapsing to her knees. The chamber was filled with a brilliant golden light as though the Sun itself had been transported to fill the depths of the Hive fortress. Then all at once, the light vanished, leaving her sitting in the dark amongst the remains of the Hive.

She remained there for a moment before rising and making her way over to where Fyr lay. He looked so pale... So still. Spark appeared above him, darting around frantically conducting scans.

"Is he..?"

"Dead," said Spark, "We have to revive him!"

"...I thought Guardians couldn't be revived in Darkness Zones..."

"They can't. Not unless there is another Guardian there, someone willing to lend their Light." He turned to her. "Would you…?"

"Of course! You don't have to ask!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much… You might want to hold still..."

Jade did as the Ghost instructed. She watched Spark's shell expand as he hovered over Fyr and felt a slight pull as he drew on her Light. Her exhaustion seemed to increase, but she would bear it if it meant Fyr would be brought back. She looked away as Spark lit up in a blinding flash. When she turned back, Fyr shifted, then sat up and yawned.

"What'd I miss?"

Driven by an overwhelming sense of relief, Jade pulled him into a hug. Fyr seemed surprised. " _Please_ tell me what I did to deserve that cause whatever it was, I gotta remember to do it again." Jade laughed. Suddenly Fyr whipped his head around. "Where're the Swarm Princes?"

"Dead," said Delta, "You two did it!"

"Oookay. Well...where's my swaggin' new sword?"

"The Sword is gone," said Spark, "...They say it was one of the most powerful weapons the Hive ever wielded against us... The Vanguard won't believe this."

"Neither will Eris," said Jade, "Which reminds me…" She rose. "We need to get back."

Fyr got to his feet. "Great... Kill a bunch of Swarm Princes and not even a cool sword to show for it."

"Well you missed one thing," said Delta proudly, "Jade activated her Radiance."

"What's that? Some crazy Warlock ability?"

"Pretty much," said Jade, "Now come on. We still have a report to give."

* * *

 

"Guardians," greeted Zavala as they entered, "I trust the mission was successful?"

"Hell _yeah_ it was!" said Fyr, "We showed those Swarm Princes who's boss!" He mimed swinging a sword.

"Well done, both of you," said Ikora, "One more threat against us is eliminated. Unfortunately, that is not the end of our dealings with the Hive."

"Indeed not," said Eris, "We will only be finished with the Hive when Crota is vanquished."

"Gee thanks Eris," said Cayde, "'Cause we were thinkin' of leavin' him alone."

Eris glared at Cayde before turning to the rest of them. "If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the Speaker." She moved to leave, but before she passed them, she stopped next to Jade.

"You have done well," she said, "You both show promise. I have no doubt that our business with Crota will soon be over... One way or another." With that, she departed.

Cayde shivered. "Gives me the creeps… Still, good job you two. You've earned yourselves some time off if you ask me. Nothin' crazy, but I'm sure Zav here won't mind if you take a day before your next mission." He shot the Titan a pointed look.

"Indeed," said Zavala, "You may have tomorrow to do whatever you like. Perhaps you would enjoy seeing more of the City?"

"The City? Count me in!" said Fyr. He turned to Jade. " _Please_ , can we go to the City?"

"Um, actually, I was planning to head to the-"

"If you say 'library,' Imma lose it. Come on! We've been here for like a month now and we still haven't seen the City!"

Jade sighed. "Fine. We can go to the City tomorrow."

"Score!"

The Vanguards looked amused by the exchange. "Well, if that's all, then you are dismissed," said Zavala.

Fyr nodded, but before he could leave, Jade grabbed his arm. "Listen… You go ahead. I'm going to stay for a few minutes."

Fyr shrugged. "Whatever floats your Ghost."

After he left, a few questioning looks were sent in her direction. "What's eatin' ya?" Cayde asked.

"Oh, uh, I just wanted to ask about something," said Jade, "...I, um, have a few questions regarding a Guardian named Harley Hayden?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooo she's bringing it up! How do y'all think the Vanguard will react? Also, I wanted to thank you guys for your interest in this story. I hope you're enjoying it! Also, many thanks to all the guests who left kudos :D Unfortunately, you guys won't be seeing the Vanguard's reactions until the next chapter. Cliffhangers are just too fun. Anyway, until then!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	16. Answers Given

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"As the City learned to walk again, it found a world overrun by alien menace. It faced disaster and defeat. Even in recent years, as Guardians begin to venture back to the Moon and the inner planets, the City's territory has withdrawn - outer sections abandoned and converted into fortifications in the wake of the Battle of Twilight Gap." - Grimoire of the City Age**

* * *

 

Jade could tell she'd struck a nerve. Zavala's face darkened and Ikora got a faraway look in her eyes. Cayde, as always, was hard to read, but there was one distinct feeling that permeated the room. Guilt.

 _Who_ was _this guy?_ Jade wondered, not for the first time. _He must have been all over the place._

"Where did you learn that name?" Zavala demanded.

Jade shrugged. "I did some digging... Found him in the database."

Zavala frowned. "The access to that database is limited to the Vanguard, the faction leaders, and the Speaker."

Cayde started to chuckle. "She hacked the system... Heh. Classic." Zavala glared at him. He coughed. "Uh, I mean you broke the rules... That's bad. You did bad and you should feel bad."

"Cayde..." sighed Ikora.

"What! I'm tryin' to be- actually I have no idea what I'm doing, but _still_!"

"It doesn't matter _how_ I learned about him," said Jade, "I want to know who he was... What happened to him?"

"That is not your concern," said Zavala.

Cayde groaned. "Why does it matter? Who cares if she asks about him. It's not like he's some top-secret... _thing_." He sighed and turned back to Jade. "Look… Harley was a damn good Guardian... Maybe even one of the best. Uh, no offense... As for what happened to him...well, that one's on us."

"I don't understand."

"How much do you know about Harley?" Ikora asked.

Jade thought back to what she had learned. "Well, I know he was revived on Mercury... He was the Guardian that discovered Rasputin and he was also the one who destroyed the Black Garden."

Ikora nodded. "That is all true... But before we continue, there is another story you should know… Have you ever heard of Osiris?"

Jade shook her head. "He was mentioned in a report I read... Who was he exactly?"

"He was a Guardian, a Warlock. And...he was my mentor."

"Your mentor?"

Ikora nodded. Zavala spoke up. "He was a member of the Vanguard long ago...before he was exiled."

"Exiled? That can happen?"

"Yes," said Ikora, "And Osiris is the most memorable case, aside from Toland... He was a brilliant Warlock, but at times he was...too curious for his own good."

"Wait... Isn't curiosity a good thing?"

Zavala shook his head. "Normally, yes... However, Osiris' curiosity extended beyond normal. He wanted to know everything, and his obsession became madness. He questioned many things, especially those that should not be questioned... He even questioned the Speaker, who had taken him in as an apprentice. His theories divided the Guardians, set them at odds with their comrades."

"...What was it he wanted to know about?"

"His most dangerous obsession was with the Vex," said Ikora, "Guardians would turn from protecting the City to chasing after rumors, something he encouraged, whether knowingly or not... The Vault of Glass was the most notorious of these legends."

"The Vault of Glass?"

"It is believed to be a place on Venus. A place where the Vex can bend reality and time itself. Years ago, a fireteam of Guardians descended into the Vault. Only one made it out, but he'd been driven mad by what he'd experienced."

Jade shivered. "So...what does this have to do with Hayden?"

Zavala sighed. "Shortly after Hayden's expedition to the Black Garden, his Ghost brought up certain...concerns about his behavior... It seemed he had also developed an obsession with the Vex, though to what extent, we didn't know... Given this information, as well as other...factors-"

Jade's mouth fell open in sudden understanding. "You thought he could be following Osiris."

Zavala nodded. "We did. These concerns were increased further by his interaction with a known member of the Cult of Osiris. But I'm sad to say that my own concerns extended past this theory..."

Jade was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Zavala sighed again. "I convinced myself that Hayden _was_ Osiris - reincarnated."

Jade was shocked. She didn't know what to say. How could she react to this? How could she - someone who was not present during this conflict - even _begin_ to understand? "...What happened?"

Ikora sighed. "Harley found out...in the worst possible way. His Ghost let something slip on accident. Later he came to...confront us about it."

"Tell me it was resolved, at least?"

Zavala shook his head. "Unfortunately, I argued my position... I was stubborn, and I was wrong, but I didn't see either of those things until it was too late."

"...So then what happened?"

"Harley left," said Cayde, "...Day, maybe two days later, he and that Warlock left on a mission to Venus. 'Course, we didn't find out about it 'till some time later 'cause it was logged as a Cosmodrome patrol."

"Why did they go?"

Ikora sighed again. "We can only assume they went looking for the Vault of Glass."

"What?! And no one was sent to look for them?"

The Vanguard shook their heads. "We don't have the Guardians to spare," said Zavala, "But Torelli went... He left as soon as he found out."

"He didn't know until _months_ later?"

"He was on Mars at the time. A long-term mission."

Cayde nodded. "Yup. When he got back, he went to Venus lookin' for Harley and Rae but came back with you and Fyr."

Jade rubbed her forehead. "...This makes so much more sense now! _That's_ who he was expecting to find! That's why there are two empty rooms on our level!"

The Vanguard nodded and Cayde sighed. "Believe me, I'd be out there lookin' for him in a heartbeat if I had the chance..."

"Do you think he's still alive?"

The Vanguard exchanged sad looks. "We can only hope," said Ikora, "The only thing we know for sure is that wherever they are, they have not yet been erased from time."

"How do you know?"

"...If they had, we wouldn't remember them."

"Oh."

Zavala sighed. "Wrythal… I advise you not to dwell on this subject. You and Allerton have the day off tomorrow. Explore the City. You still have much to see... But whatever you choose to do, don't worry yourself over the matter of Harley Hayden."

Jade nodded once before she turned and made her way out of the room.

* * *

Jade wandered through the Tower in a daze. She'd gotten what she'd wanted. She'd found out why Bazzle had been on Venus. _But I don't feel any better knowing…_ She made her way toward the dining hall. As she entered, she saw Fyr and Bazzle sitting at a nearby table. She headed toward them.

Bazzle looked up at her approach. "Ah, Wrythal," he said, "Allerton here was just telling me about your mission. Nice work."

Jade took a seat across from them. "Thanks."

"You seem...disturbed. Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, everything's fine… Did Fyr tell you we got the day off tomorrow?"

Fyr's face lit up. "Oh man, you're right! I totally forgot! Jade and I are gonna go to the City!"

"The City, eh? If that's where you're headed, you'll want someone with ya who can show you all the best places."

Jade turned and saw Rogue had walked up from behind. "Rogue," greeted Bazzle with a nod.

"Hey, Baz! You should come to the City too. We can make it a party!"

"Finally someone who speaks my language!" said Fyr.

"Someone said party?" asked another voice, "...I don't know about you, Baz, but I'm spent. That last patrol wasn't exactly a cakewalk." Jade shifted as Kaedro sat down next to her.

"Relax, K-man," said Rogue, sitting on her other side, "We were makin' plans for tomorrow. These two got the day off, so we're goin' to the City."

Kaedro sent Jade and Fyr an unimpressed look. "You're saying that you two actually _agreed_ to letting _this_ guy come to the City with you?" He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Hope you like bars."

Rogue leaned out behind Jade to punch him in the shoulder. "I know more places than just bars!" He turned back. "Seriously, though. Don't be surprised if we get into a few bar fights... These City folk can get pretty rowdy."

Kaedro snorted. "If by 'City folk' you mean _you_. Besides, I don't know that we wanna be taking two kinder-Guardians to any of the places _you_ frequent. This may be the Last Safe City but it still has its rough patches."

"We can totally handle it!" said Fyr.

"Wasn't you I was worried about." The Exo gave Jade a pointed look.

Rogue laughed. "I'm sure she can handle herself just fine! Rae went out with us plenty of times!"

Jade suddenly perked up, interested. _This might be of some benefit after all…_ She looked across to Bazzle. Outwardly he seemed calm and collected, but Jade could see the worry in his eyes at hearing his missing teammate's name.

"That's different," said Kaedro, "In fact, Rae was the one _starting_ a lot of the fights, if I recall correctly."

Rogue laughed. "True. She wasn't afraid to tell any of 'em off." He sighed. "Man, I miss her…"

Kaedro sighed as well. "You're telling me… I'll never forget the day she joined our fireteam… Speaking of, how come _you_ never joined?"

Rogue shrugged. "Not interested in that sorta thing. The Crucible's my area. But I'll still join ya on missions if you need an extra guy, 'specially since Rae's not here."

Fyr looked incredibly confused. "Who's Rae?"

Bazzle sighed. "Raedryon Korrin... She was a member of my fireteam. She...disappeared a few months ago."

Fyr got a sudden look of understanding. "Oh _right_ , I remember."

Jade coughed, and sent him a warning look. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Remember?" asked Bazzle, "You know about her disappearance?"

Jade sighed. "Yes," she said, "We know she left with Harley Hayden to find the Vault of Glass."

"Hayden," said Bazzle, nodding, "I knew him. Not well, but I knew him."

"Do you think they're still alive?"

Bazzle sighed. " I believe so… I wish I knew for certain. They are resourceful."

"What? But if you think they're alive, how come you aren't looking for them?" asked Fyr.

"I did. As soon as I found out where they went, I left for Venus...where I found you two. Now that I am back, Commander Zavala doesn't want me leaving on any more expeditions. We need all the firepower we can get. But once this Hive business dies down...I will return to Venus."

Kaedro nodded, he'd obviously heard all this before. Rogue nodded as well and sighed again. "S'a shame… They were damn good Guardians."

Kaedro frowned at him. "You never met Hayden."

"Neither did you! ...Anyway, I say let's have a toast! Cable…"

His Ghost sighed and transmatted a bottle of whiskey onto the table. "...You know, my job is to assist you in protecting the City...not to assist you in smuggling alcohol."

Rogue waved him off. "Same difference." He unscrewed the cap and poured some of the drink into several cups, which he then passed out among them. He raised his cup. "To Rae, one of the Traveler's bravest Guardians...and the only one who could drink me under the table. And to Hayden! I never met him, but he sounded like a helluva guy!"

Rogue drank, draining his cup. The rest of them followed his example. Jade winced at the burn of the liquor. It had been a long time since she'd had alcohol.

"So who's in for the City tomorrow?" asked Rogue.

Fyr raised his cup. "Me!"

Kaedro sighed. "I guess someone's gotta keep you out of trouble."

Rogue looked at Jade. "Whatta 'bout you, Wrythal? You in?"

Jade sighed. "I already told Fyr I would go."

Rogue slapped her on the shoulder. "Damn straight! ...Baz?"

The Titan shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do tomorrow anyway."

"Excellent!" said Rogue. He took a swig from the whiskey bottle. "I tell ya, we're gonna tear it up! The City won't know what hit it!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Jade knows about Harley's situation. While I'm sure many of you are eager to see how that plays out, the next chapter's gonna be a bit of a break from all the missions and investigations. They've earned some time off, after all. Also, much love to everyone who's left kudos <3
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	17. The City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"When did the City Age begin? Perhaps when the bulk of the world's survivors lived beneath the Traveler, rather than in the wilderness. Or when the Titans raised the first wall. Or at Six Fronts, when the City first faced coordinated, overwhelming attack - and repelled it decisively." - Grimoire of the City Age**

* * *

Fyr got out of bed, yawning. "Good morning," said Spark, "Are you ready to explore the City?"

"Oh man! We're going to the City today!" He looked around the room. "Uh, what should I wear?"

"Assuming you don't want to wear your armor, there are some clothes in the closet. I had them sent up..."

Fyr opened the closet, grinning when he saw the clothes. "Sweet." Soon he was decked out in athletic shoes, jeans, a black T-shirt, and a green bomber jacket.

"Jade is waiting outside," said Spark.

Fyr nodded. "Should I be bringing anything else?"

"I believe you have everything you need. Shall we go?"

"Yep." When Fyr opened the door, he felt his jaw drop. Jade had dressed down as well. She wore her Warlock boots with black leggings and a maroon anorak jacket. "Damn, Wrythal!"

She sighed at him. "Can we go now?"

"You bet… Where's everyone else?"

"Delta told me they're all waiting in the plaza."

"Alright. Let's rock and roll." They headed down the stairs. "What do you think it's gonna be like?" Fyr asked.

Jade frowned. "The City? I'm not sure. The most I've seen of it has been from the Tower… Spark? Delta?"

"We Ghosts don't go into the City much," said Delta.

Spark nodded in agreement. "People there tend to be very curious," he said, "Which means that you two can expect a lot of staring. Guardians in the City were rare _before_."

"Great," muttered Jade, "Well, at least this jacket has a hood."

Delta nodded. "Yes. You two chose the right clothing. The City is never the warmest place, even in summer."

"What else can you tell us?" asked Fyr.

"Well, many different kinds of people live there," said Spark.

"Yep!" said Delta, "The City is one big mix of races and cultures. The majority will be humans but Awoken and Exos also live there."

"A warning," said Spark, "Not everyone in the City is completely...understanding. It may be the only safe place on Earth, but there is still a lot of prejudice."

"Sounds delightful," said Jade.

"Aw, cheer up, Jade," said Fyr, "I mean it's a whole-ass _city_. The last one on _Earth_. I bet there's tons of cool stuff."

"Indeed," said Spark, "It is worth mentioning that there are many excellent food places - including a few ramen shops that Cayde swears by."

Fyr rubbed his hands together. "This is gonna be amazing!" As they neared the center of the plaza, Fyr spotted the others. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow. I gotta be honest, I thought you guys would go in your armor…"

They were all dressed in casual clothes. Bazzle wore jeans, a grey T-shirt, and a tan cargo jacket. Kaedro wore darker jeans, a white shirt, and a black pea coat. Finally, Rogue wore cargo pants and a black shirt.

"Walking down the streets in Guardian armor wouldn't be the wisest move," said Bazzle.

"Huh. I guess… So who's ship're we taking?"

"We're not using a ship," said Kaedro, "No need. The elevators'll drop us right into the City outskirts."

"How come I never know about this stuff?" Fyr complained.

"You aren't observant," said Jade simply.

"Hey!"

"Alright, let's just get going before you two argue the day away," said Kaedro.

* * *

Fyr's mouth fell open as the group stepped out of the elevator. The City, while impressive from the Tower, seemed so much larger from ground level. The outskirts were sparse, with the occasional buildings and houses, but as they moved inward, the structures became more frequent, towering above them like they were trying to compete with the Wall. The noise level increased as well. The bustle of city life surrounded them and ships cut through the sky above them. The spaces between the buildings were often crisscrossed with various cables and strings of lights and the streets were filled with people, more people than Fyr had seen since he was revived. All were dressed in varying colors and fashions. Humans were the most numerous, but Fyr caught sight of Awoken and Exos amongst the crowd. Flags were fluttering in the crisp wind that swept along, picking up loose garbage and catching the ends of scarves. Evidence of Guardian influence could be seen everywhere, from the faction and class banners hung on buildings, to figurines in shop windows. Once Fyr even noticed a statue of a Guardian in a small square.

"This is so _cool_!"

Kaedro chuckled. "Yep… I remember my first time seeing it. Sure is something."

"I can't believe all this… I mean, were there really cities like this _everywhere_ in the Golden Age."

Jade nodded. "Yes. Some were even grander than this… They used to be spread over the entire planet…" She sounded a bit sad.

Fyr looked at her, concerned. "You good?"

She nodded, sharper than before. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just… nothing."

Fyr nodded, not wanting to push it. He decided to change the subject. "So where're we going first?"

"Lunch!" said Rogue, "Never go to a bar on an empty stomach!"

"There's a place just up ahead," said Kaedro, pointing. F

yr followed with his eyes. A neon sign stuck out from one of the buildings coming up on their right. "'Spicy Ramen,'" he read, "Wait, we're going _there_? Yes!" As they got nearer, he was able to make out another smaller string of writing. "'Guardian Specials?'"

Kaedro nodded. "Lotta Guardians come here… At least, they used to."

" _Nice_."

A few minutes later, they were continuing on their way eating out of takeout containers. "Oh man, I gotta go to the City more," said Fyr, "Can't we get some of this in the Tower?"

Bazzle coughed. "If I recall correctly, there should be a shop somewhere around the North Tower."

" _What_? Why did I not know this?!"

"It is one of Cayde's better-guarded secrets."

"Huh. Keeping all the ramen for himself… So where to next?"

"This is where _I_ take over the tour," said Rogue, rubbing his hands together, "We're gonna find ourselves a bar... I know I wasn't kicked outta all of 'em... Funny story, though. Back in the day, the guys and I would play a game... We'd head into the City, split up, and see who could get kicked outta the most bars by the end of the night... Guess who usually won."

"How do you get kicked out on purpose?" asked Fyr, "Do you, like, start fights or what?"

Rogue shook his head. "Naw. Thing about fights is most bar owners don't really mind 'em. A fight gets people's attention, draws in potential customers from the outside. Sure, if one gets outta hand, they'll give ya the boot. But otherwise, they don't give a shank."

"So what do you do?"

The Exo laughed. "That's for me to know and you to never find out."

Fyr sighed in disappointment. "...So is that what we're gonna do tonight?"

"Nope. Baz would have my head. 'Sides, I got _some_ sense of responsibility… Tonight we're just gonna have ourselves a nice drink with the accommodating people of this very fine City."

Bazzle sighed, shaking his head as though he could already see the impending disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Sorry it was uploaded a couple days late. I tried to get it up Wednesday but I got that connection issue again. Basically, whenever a chapter's late, you can assume that's why.
> 
> See you tomorrow for Chapter 18!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	18. Fighting Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"There are those who believe the Traveler chose Earth for a reason. Now it's humanity's obligation to prove itself worthy of the Traveler's faith." - Grimoire of the Humans**

* * *

Their bar quest took them all over the City before Rogue remembered one he actually hadn't been kicked out of. Evening was drawing in as they made their way in the direction Rogue said the bar was. Jade craned her neck to look up. She had never been so close to the Traveler in her entire life. Usually, she saw it when she was landing or taking off or from the Tower. Always from a distance. Now, though, she was almost right under it. _It's so much bigger, seeing it up close!_ Kaedro noticed her looking.

"Pretty crazy, right? It's funny, all these people, they _say_ they love the Traveler and stuff - and maybe they do. But I find that most of them don't like living in permanent shade... That's why this district's so much emptier."

Jade looked around. Sure enough, he was right. Fewer people were walking around and more houses lined the streets as opposed to the shops they'd seen earlier. The lights also seemed brighter, built to counteract the Traveler's shadow.

"Here we are! Told ya I knew where I was going!" said Rogue.

Jade looked up. It seemed they had finally made it. The bar looked no different from the others they'd passed: small building, neon signs, loud music playing inside. As they entered, Jade saw the interior was also very repetitive. _Is there a template for building bars?_

Rogue clapped his hands. "Right! Well, I'm gonna be at the counter." He walked off.

"Hey Fyr...know how to play pool?" Kaedro asked.

"What's that?"

"Golden Age game... C'mon, I'll show you." The two Hunters headed off to a corner.

Bazzle sighed. "I'd better supervise... Kaedro is an exemplary tactician and an excellent Guardian, but hustling pool has gotten him into trouble before... Are you coming?"

Jade thought for a second. "Um...I don't think so... I was never very good at pool."

He nodded. "Very well. You know where we are if you need us." With that, he turned to follow after Fyr and Kaedro.

Jade sighed and decided to head over to the counter. She plopped down onto an empty barstool next to Rogue. He looked over at her before turning back to the bartender.

"Hey, Tony! Two whiskeys over here."

The bartender nodded. In a few seconds, a drink was placed down in front of Jade. She made no move to pick it up, simply staring at it.

"Something bothering ya, Wrythal?"

She shrugged. "There's a lot on my mind."

"Well, no shit... You're a Warlock." He took a drink. "If there wasn't something on your mind, there'd be something wrong with you."

Jade considered that. "Hmm… Why do you and Bazzle call other Guardians by their last names? Is it a Titan thing?"

Rogue seemed surprised, like he'd never thought about it before. "I dunno. I guess it's just 'cause that's how Zavala addresses us. It rubs off. Bazzle's more formal with it. Me, I use last names but I'll use nicknames too. Whichever one fits better y'know?" He chuckled. "There're even a few Guardians where I've _forgotten_ their actual first names!"

Jade smiled, picking up her drink and taking a sip. _I don't really mind this,_ she realized, _Rogue's pretty fun to talk to._ But soon Rogue's attention had shifted to the bartender, with whom it seemed he was having a friendly debate. Jade sighed. _I wish I could talk to Delta. But I don't know how everyone would react if she appeared out of thin air._ She took a sip of her drink. After a few minutes, her thoughts drifted back to the matter of Harley Hayden and Raedryon Korrin, the two Guardians who had gone to find the Vault of Glass. _I wonder what the Vault looks like? Can the Vex really control time? If they can, what chances do two Guardians have? Did they even make it there? I wonder what they're doing right now?_

Suddenly, she was pulled out of her thoughts by a harsh scraping noise as someone dragged out a stool and sat down next to her. She didn't pay them much attention outside of the general awareness that a person was sitting next to her. That was, however, until they decided to order a beer in an unnecessarily loud voice, even for the bar. Jade glanced over briefly. It was a man who looked to be a few years older than her. He was broad-shouldered and tan with very obviously dyed blond hair and green eyes. He shot her a friendly smile. She returned it out of courtesy, then turned back to her drink, taking another sip. The man cleared his throat, causing her to look over out of habit.

"Hiya," he said leaning against the counter, "My name's Mark."

"...Jade." She did not offer to shake hands.

"Jade. That's a beautiful name. So Jade, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Jade held back a sigh. "That line dates back to before the Golden Age," she said.

Mark shrugged, seemingly not discouraged. "Guess I know my history... Can I buy you a drink?"

 _Oh, here we go._ "No thanks." She gave a wry smile. "I'm still working on this one." She held up her glass as proof before turning away again.

"You sure? No offense, but whoever ordered _that_ for you clearly doesn't know what girls like to drink."

 _This guy just won't let up._ Jade rolled her eyes and turned back to face him. "What makes you so sure that _you_ know?"

He smiled. "I can read people."

 _Oh, I'm_ sure _you can._ "...I appreciate the offer, but really, I'm fine."

"C'mon! Just _one_ drink?"

Jade sighed. "Look...I'm sure you're a nice person, but I'm really not interested." _Please stop talking to me now._

"Not interested at _all_? In _any_ guys?"

 _I'm interested in guys that can take a hint._ But she wasn't about to say that. _I'll just tell him that work keeps me busy._ "...With my job, it's a bit hard to find time for that kind of thing." _Incidentally, that's very true._

"Your _job_ keeps you from having relationships?" he asked skeptically, "I have a full-time job and I still go out with girls. I doubt your job's _that_ hard anyway. What do you do, work as a barista or something?"

 _Ok, I'm getting really tired of this guy!_ "For your information, I'm a Guardian," she said, "Which means it's _my_ job to protect people like _you_." _More's the pity._

Mark scoffed. "A _Guardian_? Yeah right, and I'm the Traveler."

 _For the love of all Light! What is his_ deal _?_ "It's fine if you don't believe me but can you please just leave me alone?"

At these words, Rogue leaned over from where he'd apparently been listening in. "Hey. We got a problem here, buddy?"

Mark looked at him in disgust. "None of your business, _Exo._ " He turned back to Jade. "I can't believe they let Exos in here. Machines don't need drinks."

 _No way he just said that. That's crossing a whole other_ set _of lines..._ Jade eyed him with distaste. "Are you really that close-minded?" _And I thought he was bad before…_

"I'm just saying…they wouldn't even be around if it weren't for _us._ Us humans. We're the master race."

Jade's hands clenched. She wanted to strangle him. _He's lucky he's not worth the trouble... Damn lucky._ And she knew Rogue could hear him as well if the look on his face was anything to go by.

Mark continued talking. "It's bad enough they let those Awoken freaks live here, now we have to put up with these _robots_?"

 _Oh my-_ talk _about crossing lines!_

Rogue stood up, his stool clattering to the floor. "One of my friends is an Awoken, pal. You wanna take that back?"

Mark eyed him coolly. "No. I don't."

Rogue took a deep breath. "Ok. Last chance. You stop bothering my friend here and take your uneducated racist ass to find a new bar, or you're gonna get a lot more than words, buddy."

Mark stood up, getting up in Rogue's face. "This City's gonna fall before I take orders from an _Exo._ "

 _Crack!_ Rogue's fist connected with Mark's face, sending him reeling. He was not to be deterred, however, as he picked up the stool he'd been sitting on and hurled it at the Titan. _Crash!_ With that, a fierce battle ensued. The music died as the other patrons turned to see what was happening. Jade watched in fascinated horror as the two went at each other with everything they had. But in the end, the victory was obvious. Mark may have some muscle and gotten in some good hits, but Rogue was a Titan...a Guardian who when he wasn't battling other Guardians in the Crucible, was fighting to keep the armies of the Darkness from invading. With one powerful blow, he sent Mark crashing to the floor.

Satisfied, he turned away, taking a deep breath. That was why when Mark rose from the floor with a look of murderous rage on his face, he didn't see. Just as he didn't see Mark pull a wickedly sharp knife from his belt. Just as he didn't see Mark draw back his arm to hurl it into his back. No, Rogue didn't see any of those things. But Jade did. As soon as she saw the knife, she rose from her stool, reaching into her coat. Mark didn't see her.

Which was why he was surprised when he felt the cold muzzle of a gun against his temple. He turned slowly to see the young woman he'd been hitting on earlier, her eyes filled with a fury that blazed like a volcano.

"Don't. Try. Anything." His grip on the knife loosened and it landed on the floor with a sharp clatter. "I hope you believe I'm a Guardian now," she said, "But either way, I don't want to hear from you ever again. And if you come anywhere _near_ any of _my_ friends… You will find out just how hot a Sunsinger's fire can burn." She let her arm drop to her side. "Leave."

With a frightened nod, Mark turned and ran out of the bar. Jade blew her bangs out of her face and put her sidearm back into her coat. She turned back to face the rest of the bar, all of whom greeted her with awestruck looks. The silence dragged on until she began to feel uncomfortable. Finally, Rogue rescued her.

"Hey fellas! What say we get that music back on?" With that, the chatter began to pick up again as the patrons turned back to whatever they had been doing prior to the fight. In almost no time, the bar seemed back to normal. Jade sat back down at the counter, Rogue following her.

"Sorry 'bout the fight," said Rogue to the bartender, Tony.

Tony waved him off. "I don't mind... Good for business, eh?"

"I'll transfer some Glimmer to help ya pay for the damages."

"No, no. It's fine. I've been meaning to replace those stools anyway." He poured out two whiskeys, sliding them across with a grin. "On the house... Not every day we get Guardians in here."

Rogue chuckled, passing Jade her drink. "Nice work, Wrythal. That jackass didn't even know what hit 'im!"

Jade smiled sheepishly, sipping her drink. "Like you haven't seen anything like that before."

Rogue shook his head, still grinning. "You got me there... We had Rae along a lot. She couldn't go a single night without puttin' some idiot in their place. Still, I'd never pick _you_ to be the one doing it."

Just then, Bazzle, Fyr, and Kaedro walked up to them wearing bemused looks. Rogue raised his glass to them. "Ladies..."

Kaedro flipped him off.

"What's going on?" asked Jade.

"Nothing much," said Kaedro, "Seems like you two got some excitement, though."

"I can't believe you got in a bar fight when I was on the other side of the room!" Fyr complained, "Y'all are hogging all the fun!"

Kaedro laughed. "All that commotion sure made it easier on _me_."

"Oh yeah," said Rogue, "How was your pool game?"

"Let's just say I'm ending the night with a lot more Glimmer than I started."

"Kay taught me how to hustle pool!" said Fyr, "You guys wanna see?"

Bazzle cleared his throat. "I think everyone's caused enough trouble for one night. We should return to the Tower."

Rogue sighed heavily. "Aw hell, you're probably right. As _usual._ " He drained his glass. "Alright. Let's go." Jade set her glass on the counter and rose from her seat as they followed Rogue out the door.

"Are you sure we can't stay out longer?" Fyr asked as they walked down the street.

Kaedro laughed. "Relax, kid. The City's not going anywhere… If it did, that would mean we've failed at our job."

"Speaking of which, I've heard that the Vanguard will be calling you in tomorrow," said Bazzle.

"Really?" said Jade, "What for?"

"Mission briefing. More trouble on the Moon."

Kaedro whistled. "They must be pretty hyped up over this Crota guy."

"Indeed," said Bazzle, "I believe it's mostly due to Eris Morn's input."

Rogue shook his head. "Man, she creeps me out."

"I'm surprised they listened to her," said Jade, "Zavala didn't seem to trust her very much."

"He may distrust her, but he has good judgment," said Bazzle.

Rogue nodded emphatically. "Yeah. Zavala ain't stupid. He might not've wanted to listen to her in the beginning, but he knows she wouldn't be keepin' this up if it weren't serious."

"I reckon Ikora and Cayde had something to do with convincing him," said Kaedro.

Jade nodded. "Ikora trusts Eris, she believes her... Cayde, I'm not so sure of."

"Nah. He acts like she creeps him out and stuff, but once you've been around long enough, you'll learn to see through it."

"So what's up with this mission?" asked Fyr, "Are we gonna be getting any backup from the super squad?"

"'Fraid not. We've been assigned a mission of our own on Earth."

"What is it?" Jade asked curiously.

"We're supposed to take out one of Crota's lieutenants, this big bad Knight named Sardon. Supposedly, he commands the Hive on Earth."

Bazzle nodded. "Eris is worried his presence means the Hive are preparing to wake Crota's soul. This mission is vital to our strike against him... That is why Rogue will be joining us."

Rogue nodded. "You bet your Ghost I am!" He and Kaedro high-fived.

"Wait, so what's _our_ mission?" asked Fyr.

Kaedro shrugged. "They only told us the details on ours... You'll probably find out yours tomorrow."

Fyr nodded. Jade spoke up. "Well, whatever it is, hopefully, we'll get the chance to tell you about it afterward."

Rogue nodded. "True that. Glad you two got to see some of the City first."

Jade nodded. "Thanks for bringing us out...all of you."

"Hell, I'm just glad it wasn't a total drag. For a couple of kinder-Guardians, you two ain't half-bad."

"Aww, look at Rogue getting all sentimental!" said Kaedro.

Rogue scowled and punched him in the shoulder. "Can it, Hunter."

As Kaedro danced away, rubbing his arm, Jade breathed in the scent of the night air, basking in her feeling of contentment. _I may have lost my old family_ , she thought, _But it looks like I've already found a new one._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even in the City, they just can't seem to catch a break. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed that little vacation 'cause now we're gonna be getting back into the regular swing of things. After all, there's aliens to kill and mysteries to solve. Be sure to let me know what you enjoyed about these last couple chapters, favorite parts, things that worked well, etc.
> 
> Chapter 19 out Wednesday!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox
> 
> P.S. Sorry this update was late. I literally spent all day yesterday on various D1 and D2 raids and by the time I remembered the update, it was too late :P


	19. Black Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Earth's Moon was where we first faced the terror of the Hive, and it soon became the battlefield of a great war - one we did not win. In the years since, the Hive have ripped the Moon's surface apart, opening chasms that swarm with terrors." - Grimoire of the Moon**

* * *

Fyr stifled a yawn as he walked toward the Vanguard's table. He hated getting up early, a fact often remarked on by his Ghost. He came to a stop at the end of the table and heard Jade stop behind him. "So guys...what's the haps?"

Zavala sighed, already looking exasperated. Ikora spoke up, looking slightly amused. "We believe the Hive are engaged in a ritual that is draining the Traveler of its Light."

Zavala nodded. "We have confirmed this with the Speaker. He can feel the Traveler's Light being siphoned… And he believes if we stop whatever is causing it, the Traveler may begin to heal… Hayden's triumph over the Black Garden was a crucial step, but it is only half of the problem. We believe this is the other half."

Cayde nodded. "Basically, we're sendin' you in there, you'll blow up some Hive, and then everything's gonna be all shiny and whatnot."

"Cool. Anything else?"

"That's all," said Ikora, "Good luck, Guardians."

Fyr nodded, then he and Jade made their way out. "So what do you think is draining the Traveler?" Jade asked.

Fyr shrugged. "Dunno. Don't care either. As long as it's something we can kill, right?"

Jade sighed. Fyr ignored her and waved to Amanda as they entered the Hangar. The Shipwright waved back before walking over to them, datapad in hand. "Another mission already?" She chucked. "Wasn't so long ago that one mission a week was the norm. Lot more Guardians stuck around the Tower then... Now it's easier for them to stay out in space, 'cause of how often they're needed."

"It'd be pretty cool to have some more company around," said Fyr, "The only other Guardians we see are Kay, Bazzle, and Rogue… Have they left yet?"

Amanda nodded. "Yup. Checked out at 0600. Hive trouble in the Cosmodrome… So where're ya off to?"

"The Moon," said Jade.

" _There's_ somethin' I seem to be hearing a lot of lately." She typed on the datapad. "What for, if you don't mind me askin'?"

Jade smiled wryly. "Hive trouble."

Amanda nodded again. "The usual then... Well, your ships are ready. Good luck with that Hive business."

"Thanks." Jade crossed over to her ship, leaving Fyr to say goodbye. He smiled at the Shipwright, giving her a fist bump. "Catch you later, Amanda."

She nodded back at him. "See ya back in the world, Fyr."

* * *

Fyr sighed as they approached the Hellmouth. "I can't believe we're back here again."

" _Relax_ ," said Jade, " _We're just here to scan for the ritual. We might not have to go in._ "

" _There's_ wishful thinking if I've ever heard it," Spark muttered.

" _It's optimism, Spark!_ " said Delta, " _You should try it... You might like it._ "

"I also might like not having to keep returning to the Hellmouth."

" _You're impossible_ ," said Jade.

"Up ahead," said Spark, breaking away from their previous topic, "I should be able to scan there."

Fyr got off his Sparrow and walked over to the crack. Green mist was issuing from it, making Fyr uneasy. Spark materialized at his side and expanded his shell to scan it.

"That was a decent scan, but I couldn't locate the ritual… Delta, do you think you could scan from another place? Then we could combine data."

Jade's Sparrow whooshed by them. " _Already on it_ ," said Jade.

Fyr sighed and sat down. A few minutes later, he heard the sounds of gunfire over the comm. "Jade! What's going on?" She didn't reply. _I shouldn't worry. She's probably fine. Besides, we can be revived here._ There were a few more minutes of silence. Finally, Delta spoke.

" _I found the ritual! The bad news is we'll have to go deeper into the Temple of Crota._ "

Spark sighed. "Why does that not surprise me?"

" _We're heading back toward you now,_ " said Jade, " _Get your Sparrow ready._ "

Spark disappeared and Fyr got back on his Sparrow. "What were all those gunshots about?"

" _There were some Fallen near the site. I had to take them out before we could scan._ "

"You got to kill things?! Why am I always stuck with the boring parts?" Jade passed him and he started his Sparrow, following her toward the entrance to the Temple.

"Who _got to wield Crota's sword?"_

 _Damnit._ "...Me."

" _Exactly. Which means you don't get to accuse me of having all the fun."_

Within a few minutes, they were dismounting from their Sparrows and making their way toward the Temple's doors. As they entered the first room, Fyr caught a glimpse of something on the lower level. "What the frick frack is _that_ thing?!"

Jade looked over the edge. "Ogre."

"Why does it have _brains_ poking out of its _face_?!"

The Ogre bellowed and turned in their direction, it's feet causing the entire room to shake. A purple beam shot out of its head toward Fyr. He yelped and ducked to the side. Jade summoned her grenade and hurled it at the Ogre. Fyr heard the whoosh as it flew, followed by a sizzling noise and an angry shriek. He peered around the barrier he'd ducked behind. A black scorch mark on the floor was all that was left of the Ogre. "Nice."

"Compliments later Fyr!" said Jade, firing her fusion. "There's still Acolytes!"

"Oh yeah." He drew his hand cannon and helped pick off the remaining Hive. Once they were dead, he holstered his gun and jumped down from the platform. A strange whooshing sounded from behind him. He turned to see Jade glide down and land gently on the floor. "You can _fly_ too? I'm calling bullshit!"

She sighed at him. "It's a Warlock ability."

"What?! Then what can Hunters do?"

"Hunters are able to perform up to two extra jumps while in the air," said Spark.

" _Finally_ some love!"

"Where do we go next?" asked Jade, cutting off the rest of Fyr's celebration.

"There is an entrance to a lower level towards the back of the chamber," said Spark.

"Fine, but I'm not gonna forget about this jumping thing," said Fyr as they moved toward the back.

They descended a short staircase and rounded a bend. A strange platform greeted them in the middle of an empty space. Fyr jumped across, trying not to look down into the mist below. The platform led out into the other side of the room where a Wizard and a host of Acolytes was waiting to greet them. "Grenades?" said Fyr.

Jade nodded. Simultaneously, they tossed their respective grenades into the group of Hive. Two fiery explosions later, the Wizard and Acolytes were gone. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about," said Fyr as they jumped down, "Teamwork makes the dream work!"

"...I can't believe you just said that," said Jade.

"Me either," said Spark.

"I liked it!" said Delta.

"You like everything."

"Well, I've noticed that _you_ dislike everything… Maybe we balance each other out."

They progressed through the chamber. "Ever get the feeling that our Ghosts were switched?" asked Fyr.

" _I_ do," said Spark.

"I wasn't asking _you_."

"You're _supposed_ to ask me things. I'm your Ghost."

They headed down some more stairs and into a large room. In the center sat a great structure, dark and spiky with many wires protruding from it. "What the heck is that?" said Fyr.

"That's a Hive Seeder," said Spark, "Just like the ones invading Earth… If we don't finish this, there'll be more of these hitting home."

"Well that's motivation if I've ever heard it," said Jade.

"You're telling me," said Fyr, "C'mon. The ritual must be just up a- hoo… ok, those are some very angry Knights." Two Knights had just entered from the opposite entrance, wielding swords. "You know...I was a _lot_ more confident fighting these guys when _I_ had a sword..."

Jade blasted the Knights into ashes. "...Those probably won't be the last ones."

"Hah. Great. You and Spark should start a club…" Just then a weird glowing creature entered. It looked like one of the Thrall, but instead of sprinting, this one walked slowly with its arms clutched to its chest.

"That's a Cursed Thrall!" said Delta, "They explode when they get close to you."

Fyr shot it down with his hand cannon. But instead of collapsing and disintegrating, the Thrall exploded in a blast of bluish light and ghostly limbs. Fyr started walking forward again. "And just when I thought Thrall couldn't get any worse…" They walked across a balcony that looked out over a huge cavern. "You gotta hand it to the Hive, they're consistent with their ambiance." They descended another set of stairs and entered another room. Fyr jumped in surprise as a black and green ship ghosted through the opposite wall. "Freaky." The ship stopped to drop off a crew of Acolytes before leaving. Jade stepped forward, but Fyr caught her arm. "Hold on. I think I can get them."

He holstered his hand cannon and unslung his sniper rifle from his back. It was fairly easy to pick off the Acolytes but before they could continue forward, the doors at the end of the room creaked open and three sword-bearing Knights ran through. "Well...shit."

Jade backed up, vaporizing the first Knight. Fyr shot down the second one with his hand cannon, then hurled his knife at the last one. "I guess that wasn't so bad." He retrieved his knife.

"Let's keep going," said Jade.

They had to clear out more Acolytes and Thrall in the next room, but Fyr was encouraged when Delta spoke up. "Not much farther! The ritual is just up ahead."

The two Guardians walked across the bridge and then down the staircase on the other side. An ominous door stood at the bottom, closed. "Here it is," said Spark, "The darkest of all the Hive's chambers..."

"Thank you for that, Spark," said Jade.

"Yeah," said Fyr, "We weren't sure if we'd accidentally ended up at the _second_ -darkest one."

The door opened slowly, revealing three Wizards floating around a circular platform. Hovering above the platform was a strange object, shrouded in a dark aura. "Those are the Siphon Witches," said Spark.

"Right," said Fyr, "This looks like a job for my machine gun." He was about to tell Spark to get it for him when Jade stopped him.

"No offense, but I think my rocket launcher would work better. It's more...precise."

"Aww but I haven't gotten to use my new machine gun yet!"

"I'm sure you'll still have a chance. Delta?" Jade's rocket launcher materialized in her grasp. She knelt to aim it at the first Witch. There was a _hiss_ as the rocket left the chamber, followed by a _boom_ as it impacted. The other two Witches turned toward them, shrieking in rage, then split off to either side. Jade cursed. "Get the one on the left. I'll take right."

"Gotcha." Fyr made his way toward the Witch, who was hiding inside a cloud of black smoke. Experimentally, he fired a shot at her. Instantly, blue-white balls of energy came sailing at him, some of which he wasn't able to dodge. "Ow! Stupid witch!" He emptied his chamber into the Witch, sighing in relief when she crumbled to dust with a wail.

A similar wail echoed from his right. _Do my ears detect the sound of kickass?_ However, before he could congratulate Jade, the doors at the other end of the chamber opened, and a Hive squadron issued forth. "Damnit! They just won't stop!"

Luckily, the Hive didn't prove too difficult to take out, even when another wave came in from the same door that they themselves had come through. Fyr shot down the last Acolyte, then wiped his forehead in exaggeration. "Phew. Looks like we're finally finished…" Suddenly a bellow echoed from the one door that hadn't opened. Fyr sighed. "Don't tell me…" The door opened, revealing an Ogre that shook the room as it stomped in. "Goddamnit."

He heard Jade give an exhausted sigh of her own. He looked over and saw her hefting her rocket launcher again, ready to take on the Ogre. He held out a hand. "Wait. I think I can take this guy."

Summoning what remaining energy he could muster, Fyr activated his Golden Gun. He took careful aim at the Ogre's head and fired at it three times. The Ogre roared in pain as it was burnt to ashes. The glow around Fyr faded and the flaming pistol disappeared from his hands. He stumbled with exhaustion but forced himself to stay on his feet. _Just a bit longer_ , he told himself, _Then you can go home._

"Alright… Let's see what the heck caused so much trouble." He followed Jade up onto the dais in front of the platform.

She studied the strange floating object. "What is this thing?"

Delta appeared in front of her and made quick work with her scan. Then the Ghost gasped. "Oh my- it's a shard of the Traveler!"

Fyr exchanged a confused look with Jade. "A what now?"

"A piece of the Traveler is here," said Spark, "The Hive were using it to devour the Traveler's Light."

"Ohh... _Wow_. They don't half-ass anything."

"A shard of the Traveler…" echoed Jade. She sounded like she couldn't believe it. Fyr watched as the dark aura slowly dissipated. The shard glowed bright white and then vanished.

"We freed it," said Delta, "Maybe now the Traveler can begin to heal!"

"Maybe," said Jade, but she sounded doubtful, "At any rate, the Vanguard will want to know about this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, we're back with it now. It's pretty obvious where they are in the Dark Below storyline. We do eventually get back to the Harley storyline but you guys'll have to wait a little bit for that one. 
> 
> Ok this next part is SUPER IMPORTANT. I have begun drafting the next story. However, I cannot continue without input from you guys. I NEED TO KNOW WHICH PERSPECTIVES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOST IN THE NEXT STORY. If there's someone you want to hear more from in the future you need to LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME YOUR TOP 2 CHARACTERS! If you don't have an opinion, you don't have to tell me anything and I will put in whomever I choose.
> 
> Perspectives to choose from include:
> 
> Bazzle, Rae, Jade, Fyr, Kaedro, Rogue and/or any of their Ghosts. (Harley is not on this list because I'm already planning on having him in the next one).
> 
> In my next update, I'll let you know how the rankings stand. Thanks for reading all this and I'll see you in the next chapter! <3
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	20. Mission Debrief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The nightmares will crawl across this world and the machines of old will rest silent as they witness the final Light of this seemingly eternal dusk." - Ghost Fragment: Hive 3**

* * *

Fyr and Jade walked wearily through the Hall of Guardians into the Vanguard's room. _Ughhh… Why can't we do this_ after _I sleep?_ Their entrance was greeted by Cayde's clapping.

"Ah, the triumphant return." Fyr waved half-heartedly. "Looks like someone could use a nap," said Cayde, sounding amused.

"You're telling _me_ ," Fyr muttered.

Zavala nodded. "As soon as you give us your report, you will have the rest of the day off."

"Damn straight… Ok, report… So we fought our way through the Temple of Crota _again._ This time we had to fight three witches with some kinda special name. Simon Witches? Silent Witches?"

Jade sighed. "The Siphon Witches."

"You met the Siphon Witches?" asked Eris sharply, "What were they doing?"

"So after we killed them and the 20 thousand Hive that showed up afterward, we scanned the thing they were messing with and it turns out they had a _whole-ass_ piece of the Traveler."

The Vanguard and Eris exchanged alarmed looks. "A shard of the Traveler," said Ikora in disbelief, "They were using it to drain the Traveler's Light… But how could they have gotten a hold of it?"

"The Hive are capable of much more than they are given credit for," said Eris darkly, "They must not be underestimated."

Cayde coughed. "Uh, yeah, that's fine and all, but if Milo and Otis here freed the shard, then won't the Traveler start healing itself? I dunno about you guys, but I feel like we should be celebratin' right now."

"The Traveler may indeed begin to heal," said Zavala, "But that does not merit a celebration yet... There is still the Hive to think of."

"Yeah speakin' of, didn't the Three Musketeers get back just a little while ago?"

"They're back already?" said Fyr incredulously.

"Well, they _did_ start earlier than us," said Jade, "How did their mission go? Were they able to stop Sardon?"

"Yes, Sardon has fallen," said Eris, "But that does not mean the rest of Crota's disciples will give up... Just today we have received reports that his army is gathering near one of Rasputin's hidden bunkers."

Fyr's eyes widened. "Mission?"

Zavala frowned. "I would have preferred you to learn of this later, but since Eris has already informed you of the situation… Yes. You and Wrythal will be sent on another mission tomorrow. Under normal circumstances, you would have had a longer respite, however...these are not normal circumstances. It is critical that the Hive do not destroy Rasputin, or worse...control him."

Fyr mock saluted. "You can count on us!"

"Not today, though," said Jade pointedly.

"Oh right." Fyr pointed at the Vanguard. "Tomorrow! You can count on us tomorrow!"

"Outstanding," said Zavala dryly, "Dismissed."

Fyr followed Jade out of the room. The Warlock was rubbing the bridge of her nose. "What's up? Are you getting a cool Warlock vision?!"

"I guess it's possible... But more likely it's the headache that _you_ gave me."

"Rude. At least we saved the Traveler, though. Look on the bright side!"

"That's what _I_ always say," said Delta.

"Look, we have another mission tomorrow, so could you please not make this worse?"

" _Someone's_ got their armor in a bunch."

Jade sighed. "I just don't want to mess this up," she said, "Guardians are under a lot of pressure from everyone. The City, the Vanguard, the Speaker... But for us, it's ten times worse because we don't have the option of failure. There aren't enough Guardians left for us to fail and the ones that _are_ left haven't been around at all! You'd think we would have at least seen _someone_ else by now."

Fyr shrugged. "They could all just be busy."

"Spark, how many active Guardians are there currently?"

"Hold on," said Spark, "This will take me a minute…" A few moments passed before he replied. "To the extent of my knowledge...there are 87 Guardians in the field at the moment."

Fyr's jaw dropped as the full impression of what he'd heard settled on him. _Only 87 Guardians in the whole-ass solar system?_

Jade was clearly not expecting such a low number either. "That's _it_? ...Are you sure?"

"I'm as certain as I can be," said Spark.

"How fast have our numbers been decreasing?"

"That is hard to say… I believe the count stood close to two hundred around six months ago."

" _Six months?_ " said Fyr, "Holy _shit_. What the hell happened?"

Spark shrugged. "It's a dangerous solar system. We had problems with losing Guardians to darkness _before_ the revivals stopped. And _that_ happened over 6 _years_ ago... The ones that are still left find it easier to stay out where they're needed most, especially since there are less of them to handle missions... After all, the Hive are not the only blight on our solar system."

"Wait," said Fyr, "If they're not coming back to the Tower, how do they get more ammo?"

"The Tower isn't the only place to find ammunition," said Delta, "Much can be scavenged from our enemies. Also, the Vestian Outpost was opened to Guardians a few months ago. I think it's safe to assume that they stop there sometimes."

Jade rubbed her forehead. "This seems so much bigger than anything we can handle… How could we- _what_ can we do to come back from this?"

"You can fight," said Delta determinedly, "You can work with Eris to stop Crota. You can prevent the Hive from overtaking Earth. And there are still other Guardians out there so while you might feel lonely...remember that you are _not_ alone."

Jade gave the Ghost a small smile. "Thanks, Delta."

Fyr looked at Spark. "Man, how come _you_ can't be this supportive?" he demanded.

"Because I am your Ghost, not Jade's," Spark replied smugly.

"Hey! Where's the love?!"

"I will let you know if I find it."

"As much as I'd love to see how this conversation plays out, I have somewhere to be," said Jade, "I'll see you in the dining hall."

"See ya," said Fyr. He watched them leave. "Well, what am I gonna do now?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," said Spark.

Suddenly Fyr heard someone call to him from behind. He turned and was met with the sight of Kaedro walking toward him from the direction of the North Tower. "Kay! How are ya? I heard the mission went well."

The Exo nodded in satisfaction. "Yep. It was pretty smooth sailing... Only hiccup was a run-in with Omnigul."

"Who's that?"

"Crota's lieutenant or something. Nasty piece of work. Screams like nothing you heard… I'm sure you'll run into her sooner or later."

"An evil screeching witch? Sounds fun!"

Kaedro laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. "I knew you'd say that… Walk with me?" He moved away and Fyr hurried to catch up.

"What's up?"

Kaedro shrugged. "Nothing much. I mean, Bazzle's been pretty distracted lately?"

"Bazzle? Distracted?" The Titan always seemed to be the picture of focus.

"Yeah. Something's bothering the guy. Not sure what it is, though."

"We could get him to go into the Crucible," said Fyr eagerly, "That might take his mind off it."

"I don't think any of us are up for Crucible today. Just got back from a mission and all..."

"Darn." Fyr hadn't had the opportunity to go to the Crucible yet, and he really wanted to.

"Don't worry, man," said Kaedro, like he'd read Fyr's mind, "You'll get your chance. Heck, it's not like the Crucible's going anywhere." Kaedro pointed at him. "Tomorrow! You doing anything tomorrow?"

Fyr sighed heavily and nodded. "We got another mission... Something about Rasputin."

"Ah. Sucks... Well maybe afterward then."

"Yeah."

They walked in silence for a few moments before it was broken by a female voice. "Hello."

Fyr looked around. "Huh? Who's there?"

"That's Jyn," said Kaedro, "My Ghost." Sure enough, a Ghost with a soft pink shell floated into Fyr's view. He waved.

"Hey. I'm Fyr."

"I know," said Jyn, "We've met before."

"We have?"

"I was there the first time you met Kaedro. But I've been incorporeal every time after that. I thought I should introduce myself again."

"Cool." Fyr nodded to his Ghost. "This is Spark."

"Hello," said Spark.

"Greetings," said Jyn. She turned back to Fyr. "I would have liked to meet your friend Jade as well, but it appears I'll have to wait."

"Oh yeah. She's busy right now."

"Hey, Jyn," said Kaedro, "Have any ideas for what we can do?"

"Channel 16 is running a marathon of old Crucible matches."

Kaedro burst out laughing. " _Definitely_." He grabbed Fyr's shoulder, turning him around. "C'mon, kid. You haven't _lived_ until you've seen Rogue obliterate the entire enemy team with just one slam. Also, you won't want to miss Baz during his Crucible days."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. I planned to reveal the rankings but I felt like I should wait for more responses first. So if there's someone you'd like to hear more from, make sure to give me their name. I'm keen to resume my writing, but I'd like to hold off until I know who people want to see in the next story. So far, the name I've heard most has been Fyr.
> 
> Sorry if this chapter was a bit short. In the next chapter, you'll get to see what Jade has been up to since she left Fyr. It should be interesting ;)
> 
> Btw, many thanks to whoever left kudos <3
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	21. Uncertain Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Not every ally shares our goals. Rasputin may have survived the Collapse, but at what cost to the rest of us?" - Eris Morn**

* * *

"Delta, could you bring up a map of the Ishtar Sink for me please?"

"Certainly."

The map popped up on the monitor in front of Jade, who enlarged it. "Ok… There's the drop zone." She indicated a point on the map where a transmat icon was marked. "I think we can eliminate the Cinders. Anything else will require some digging, though…"

Delta spoke up. "What are you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?"

Jade frowned, not hearing the Ghost. "Pull up all records with information pertaining to the Vault of Glass."

"The Vault of Glass?" said Delta in alarm, "Why in the name of the Traveler are you looking for the Vault of Glass?"

"Could you just pull up the records?" Delta sighed but did as she was asked. Jade felt bad for being snippy. "...Sorry Delta."

"It's quite alright. I trust you have a good reason for wanting to see these records."

Jade nodded absentmindedly, scanning the documents. "There isn't much here, but I think we can cross the Endless Steps off our list as well…" She pointed to an area on the map, tracing her finger along it. "It looks like we'll want to stick to the Shattered Coast." She sighed. "It's going to take me ages to get through all of these by myself..." Suddenly, she got an idea. "Delta, could you scan these records for locations on Venus?"

"Absolutely! Would you like me to close the non-relevant ones?"

"Yes please."

Delta was silent for a few seconds and Jade saw several windows disappear. "Ok," said the Ghost, "The remaining records all contain mention of locations in the Ishtar Sink region."

"Do any of them say directly where the Vault is?"

Delta was silent for a few more seconds. "One of the more promising ones hints that it's located near the Waking Ruins and one other has it somewhere East of the Academy."

"Hmm. Well, I think we have a fairly good chance of finding it based off of that... The problem is, we don't have enough time to search for the entrance with all these Hive missions going on."

Delta seemed to consider the problem. "The Vanguard might give you more free time after the next mission," she said, "It shouldn't be too hard to persuade them... How long do you think we'll need?"

"I'm not sure. It shouldn't be more than a day, though. My main concern at this point is the Vanguard won't let us go to Venus. They can't afford to lose any more Guardians and Zavala himself told me to 'put it out of my mind.' ...There's no way they'll let us just leave."

"If you're right, then there's only one way," said Delta, "You'll have to ask Amanda to keep this under wraps."

Jade frowned. She didn't want to have to directly disobey the Vanguard, especially if it meant involving Amanda in her deception... However, if it came down to a choice between breaking the rules and finding the missing Guardians, there would be no contest. "Would there be any point in asking the Vanguard? I feel like I'd just be putting them on their guard. Warning them that I'm about to go to Venus."

"A sound analysis." There was a short pause. "...I do hope you aren't planning to go to Venus on your own?"

Jade shook her head. "I'm planning to ask Fyr to join me."

"Good idea! ...What about Bazzle and the others?"

Jade gave this a moment of thought. "I don't think I'm going to tell them. Sneaking two Guardians off to Venus will be difficult enough. But _five_? I might as well send a note telling the Vanguard where we're going."

"I suppose you're right… Well, we'd better be heading off to the dining hall... You'll want plenty of rest for tomorrow's mission."

* * *

The next morning, Fyr and Jade entered the Hall of Guardians for their mission briefing. "Good," said Ikora, "You two are right on time."

Zavala cleared his throat. "Seeing as the details of this mission were disclosed to you yesterday, this briefing is going to be, well...brief." Cayde cackled off to the side, but Zavala ignored him. "This mission will have a different procedure than usual… Eris will be in constant communication with you over your comms." Jade raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"For real?" said Fyr, "Nice!"

"Indeed… I suggest you get moving, Guardians. The Warmind Rasputin is an asset we cannot afford to lose."

Jade and Fyr nodded before exiting and making their way to the Hangar. Amanda already had their ships prepped, and she hailed them from the control station. "You're all clear!"

Fyr waved back, then they both put their helmets on. Jade crossed to her ship and looked back at him. "I'll see you in the Cosmodrome."

"You got it!"

With that, both Guardians were transmatted into their respective ships. Barely a minute later, Jade was zooming low over the Russian landscape. The trip was very short, and it seemed as though no time had passed until she was being transmatted down into the Mothyards. She waited for Fyr to join her before retrieving her Sparrow. Just before they started moving, Jade heard the whispery voice of Eris Morn over the comms.

" _Guardians. I trust you have arrived in the Cosmodrome? … There's a secret entrance to the Warmind's bunker beneath the Forgotten Shore. Stop the Hive from reaching Rasputin."_

Fyr rubbed the side of his helmet. "I'm not the only one hearing a creepy voice right?"

" _I heard that, Guardian."_

Jade sighed at him. "Come on," she said, "We have to get to Rasputin before the Hive do." She gunned her Sparrow toward the Forgotten Shore. Within a few minutes, they had reached a narrow canyon.

Eris spoke again. " _Rasputin remains silent, but still fights to protect us. We cannot let Crota's army find a way around the Warmind's defenses, or Crota's disciples will flood the Earth."_

"' _Cuz I'm sure they won't do that anyway,"_ Fyr muttered.

" _What was that, Guardian?"_

" _Oh, uh, nothing."_

They pulled up to a broken down structure atop a small hill. Jade squinted. "There's Fallen up ahead."

Fyr pulled his grenade. "Leave it to me." He hurled the grenade into the midst of the Fallen, most of whom went down. Jade drew her fusion rifle and took out those that remained. As they neared the building, Fyr spoke up. " _This_ is where Rasputin lives? Looks like a rusty old shack."

"He doesn't live _here_ , Fyr," said Jade, "His bunker is underground."

"Well, I hope it's nicer looking than this place."

They entered the structure and made their way down several flights of stairs before coming out into a larger room. At the opposite end was a pair of doors resembling an upside-down diamond. "This must be it," said Jade. All of a sudden, loud orchestral music began to play, echoing throughout the room.

"What the- Not to knock this dude's music choice, but this would make a great funeral playlist," said Fyr.

" _You fool,"_ said Eris, " _If Rasputin is playing music, it means he's in trouble!"_ As if to prove her point, the set of doors hissed and lifted open, vapor pouring out.

Fyr drew his hand cannon. "I'm getting some serious 'haunted house' vibes here…"

They moved forward. " _I've never known him to welcome visitors,"_ said Eris, " _Find the control room."_

"What are the odds we're alone down here?" asked Fyr, "'Cause I don't think they're looking so good."

"Fyr. Shut up," said Jade.

They moved down another set of stairs, before turning a couple corners and descending even further until they saw another diamond-shaped doorway in front of them. The doorway let out into a large chamber with high ceilings. Metal railings lined the sides of the walkway, and large crates of some sort were scattered across the platforms. Screeches echoed from further down, bouncing off the walls of the chamber.

"Let me guess…" said Jade.

" _The Hive!"_ said Eris in alarm, " _They've found a way inside. Don't let them reach Rasputin!"_

Jade stepped forward, blasting the first Knight with her fusion rifle while Fyr shot down the second one with his hand cannon. Thrall came racing toward them from further down the corridor. Jade barely had enough time to kill them before another Knight fired at them from the next section over. She motioned to Fyr. "Come on!" He followed her up the steps onto the platform and crouched behind a crate. "I'll kill the Knight, you get rid of those Acolytes."

Fyr nodded. "Can do."

They leaned out and shot at their respective targets. Soon, they were all down. Jade took the opportunity to reload, seeing Fyr do the same. Then they got up and kept moving, taking out the next few Acolytes that came running out of a doorway nearby. As they reached the stairs that led to the doorway, another wave of Thrall came racing down, shrieking. But they proved fairly easy to handle, especially with Jade's fusion rifle. Fyr took out the Knight that was guarding the entrance, and then they pressed forward, coming to a large window that showed the control room beyond.

Fyr cupped his hands around his face, looking in. "Looks pretty empty… My trap senses are tingling."

Jade sighed, but she knew he was probably right. _The Hive wouldn't go to all the trouble of getting in here only to just leave afterward._ She walked through the doorway to the right of the window, Fyr behind her. As they stepped into the large circular chamber, Eris spoke again.

" _Find the controls. Make sure the Hive haven't destroyed Rasputin."_

"They can _do_ that?!" hissed Fyr.

"Let's hope they didn't," said Jade. She spotted the controls at the other end of the room. "There." She stepped up to the console and saw images flash across the monitors, but she was unable to make sense of them. Suddenly, they all flashed red and there was a clanging sound as the doors closed.

" _Something's wrong!"_ said Eris.

"Called it!" said Fyr.

Loud orchestral music began to play as it had done earlier. A Wizard flashed into existence in front of them, her shrieks echoing around the chamber.

Jade backed up. "Uh oh."

"What the hell is that?!"

" _Omnigul!"_ said Eris over the comms, " _Silence her screams!"_

Jade took aim at the Wizard, but before she could shoot, they were engulfed by a wave of Thrall. By the time they'd killed them all, Omnigul had vanished.

"Where'd she go?!" shouted Fyr.

Jade looked around and caught sight of her outside of the control room. "Damnit! She's out _there_. We can't get to her!" Then a group of Hive spawned on the chamber floor. A Wizard, two Knights, and several Thrall. "Here we go again…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Jade has some sort of rescue operation in mind. What do you think the odds are that she'll be able to find Rae and Harley? Unfortunately, her plans won't be put into action until after they complete their mission. Anyway, the majority of feedback from other platforms so far indicates that people are interested in seeing more of Fyr in the next story. Looks like I'll be getting back to drafting soon. If any of you have any more suggestions, feel free to let me know.
> 
> I'm pretty sure you guys know when the next chapter will be coming. See you then!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	22. Quantum Indeterminacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Swarming across the Ishtar Sink, these Vex aggressively seek out and attack the Fallen House of Winter, perform inscrutable operations around shining Confluxes, and even show interest in the Golden Age ruins left by the Ishtar Collective." - Grimoire of the Hezen Corrective**

* * *

Fyr cursed upon discovering that his chamber had emptied again and ducked behind a pillar to reload. They'd retreated to the platforms next to the doors when more Hive had spawned in and so far, it was working to keep them from being swarmed. Fyr could hear the _zap_ of Jade's fusion from the opposing platform. He stepped out again and shot down more Thrall as they attempted to climb over the railing to get at him. One of the Knights bellowed, so Fyr shot it down too. His gun clicked again and he cursed. "Spark! How much ammo we got left?"

"Two rounds."

" _Shit_! ...Jade, I'm down to my last few bullets here!"

"Hold on…" She sounded like she was concentrating. Then the room was lit up with a golden light. Fyr glanced toward the other platform and saw the glowing figure of Jade, blazing with Solar light. She floated up into the air, throwing a seemingly endless stream of grenades into the Hive below. Soon, the minions of Crota were all but obliterated.

Omnigul shrieked in rage and Fyr saw a large form slowly take shape in the middle of the room. "Oh boy… Is that what I think it is?"

"An Ogre," said Spark, "The Might of Crota."

"Fyr!" said Jade, "I'm just about out of options over here!"

"Right. My turn." Fyr summoned his Golden Gun, then stepped out and sent his burning projectiles straight into the Ogre's face. The Ogre bellowed in pain, staggering backward. Suddenly, a rocket sailed in out of nowhere, blasting the beast into oblivion. Jade jumped off of her platform, her rocket launcher disappearing from her hands. Fyr jumped down too, walking over to meet her. "I didn't know you had any heavy… You've been holding out on me, Wrythal!"

"I only had one left… At least it's dead now."

"You're telling _me._ Does this mean we get to go on a nice vacation somewhere? I'm thinking Mars." He glanced toward the window. Omnigul was gone. As if someone had flipped a switch, the room brightened and the music faded away. There was a whirring sound as various machines began to start up. "Is that it?" he asked, "No gratitude? No 'thanks for getting the creepy aliens out of my base?'"

" _Well done, Guardians,"_ said Eris, " _Rasputin is safe, but Crota's army is more powerful than even I thought. We cannot rest. Now is the time to stop them from waking Crota's soul."_

"So is that a 'no' to a vacation then?" said Fyr, "'Cause damn, I was actually looking forward to that."

* * *

 

"Heyyy!" said Cayde, "Good job out there! Eris told us good things. Well, good things by _her_ standards anyway."

"Well done indeed," said Zavala, "Rasputin's allegiance has never been more important."

"All that remains is to stop the Hive from waking Crota," said Ikora, "For that, you must return to the Temple on the Moon."

"Uh, about that…" said Jade, "We were wondering if we could have some time off before the next mission."

Fyr looked at her in surprise. "We _what_?" She elbowed him in the side. "Uh, I mean, yeah! We do."

"There is no doubt that you have earned a break," said Zavala, "However, timing is of the utmost importance. The fate of the City rests on you preventing Crota from awakening."

"We know," said Jade, "But we only need a day. Didn't we slow them down enough for that?"

The Vanguards turned to look at Eris. The former Guardian did not look happy. "It is true," she said grudgingly, "Your efforts have bought us more time. As much as I dislike this decision, it is possible to wait… Providing that you do not leave it until too late."

Ikora nodded thoughtfully, turning back to face them. She locked eyes with Jade and it seemed to Fyr that they had a silent conversation. _Did they just talk with their_ minds _? Warlocks are weird._ Ikora seemed satisfied with whatever had transpired between them. "These Guardians are responsible," she said, "I believe we can trust them to return in time."

"Well, I'm for it!" said Cayde, "Hell knows these two've worked harder than most Guardians in recent history… 'Cept for maybe Harley."

Zavala sighed. "Very well. You have 24 hours. But the mission must not be put off any longer than that."

Jade nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Zavala nodded back. "If that is all, you are dismissed."

Fyr followed Jade out to the plaza before he said anything. "Yo, what was _that_ all about?" he demanded.

Jade sighed. "I wanted some time off so we could go to Venus."

"Venus? Why?"

"...We're going to find the Vault of Glass."

Fyr stared at her, then burst out laughing. "The Vault of Glass! Yeah, right!" Jade looked back, completely straight-faced. Fyr felt his laughter falter as he realized she wasn't making a joke. "Holy shit you're _serious_!" She nodded. " _How_ can you be serious?! The Vault of Glass is like...hella mythical!"

Jade shook her head. "It's real."

"Oh yeah? How do _you_ know?"

"I've read the records. Also, that's where Harley and Rae went when they left."

"Well, even if it's real, it's spooky as hell. A bunch of Guardians went in there once and only one came out!"

Jade frowned at him. "How do you know all that?"

"I talked to Kay!" said Fyr defensively, "He was telling me legends and stuff."

"Huh… Well, not only do I know it exists, but I _also_ know where it is."

"No way!"

"Yep. I figured out the general area through the records... All we have to do is find the door."

"Yeah? Then what...take a tour?" Suddenly he stopped as something dawned on him. "Hang on... You mentioned those other two Guardians… You want to _find_ them!"

"Yes."

"That's crazy! You're crazy! I mean, it does sound kinda cool, but that just means _I'm_ crazy!"

"Maybe it is and maybe I am, but I don't care. You can choose whether or not you want to come, but I'm going either way."

Fyr thought about this for a few moments. "If the Vanguard find out you went to Venus, then _my_ ass is _toast_!"

"So you're coming?"

Fyr sighed. "I guess so. But just so you know… If I die, you gotta buy me spicy ramen for a year."

"Deal."

Fyr took a drink of his soda. "So why can't we tell Bazzle and the guys about this? They'd be pretty good to have along."

Jade shook her head and swallowed the food that was in her mouth. "Bazzle wouldn't let us leave," she said, "He'd think we wouldn't be able to handle the Vault."

"Right… So what kind of mission is this? We gonna kill some Vex?"

Jade shook her head again. "Not unless we have to. We're supposed to be finding Harley and Rae... We can't do that if the Vex kill us."

"Ok. So stealth mission then. Cool."

"Yep. A simple in and out. Nothing fancy."

"...Have you considered the possibility that they're dead?" asked Spark.

"I'm sure they're _fine_ , Spark," said Delta.

"Well, no one else was going to say it."

Jade cast the Ghost a stern look. "Even if they _are_ dead," she said, "Isn't it better to know than wonder about it?" There was a slight pause before she spoke again. "It's like Schrodinger's cat!"

Fyr furrowed his eyebrows. "Like whose _what_?"

"Schrodinger's cat... Schrodinger was an Old Earth scientist. Before the Golden Age. He created a thought experiment where a cat was placed in a steel box containing a deadly substance."

"Isn't that animal abuse?"

Jade shot him a look. "...The point is, you don't know if the cat is dead or alive. This means that as long as you don't look inside the box, the cat is both dead _and_ alive. It's called quantum indeterminacy."

"It's called _what_ now?"

"Never mind... In this situation, Harley and Rae are the cat. They're inside the Vault of Glass with a bunch of Vex... We won't know if they're dead or alive unless we look."

"Well, I'm never gonna understand your mind-messery," said Fyr, "So Imma just nod my head and say 'uh-huh, I agree.'" He paused for a few seconds. "Uh-huh. I agree... Let's go find them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy! Things are really getting spicy now! I bet you guys were waiting for this to happen from the beginning. Go ahead and tell me your predictions for what lies ahead. I'm interested to hear if any of you come close. On the matter of the third story, perspectives from Rae and Kaedro are also now in the running. Let me know what you think.
> 
> All the best until next time!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	23. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Survivors of the Vault of Glass report sightings of ancient Vex - ancient in the sense that they have endured for eons. Convergent analysis from multiple Ghosts suggests that these Vex exist in our future." - Grimoire of the Sol Imminent**

* * *

Jade felt her apprehension mounting as they passed out of the Ishtar Cliffs and into the Waking Ruins. So far, they'd come across scattered Vex, as well as a few groups of Fallen from the House of Winter. A short distance away, Jade could see the hulking circular door to the Vault of Glass embedded into the bottom of a sheer cliff. She swallowed nervously. She and Fyr were about to enter a place only a few had seen. A place from which only one Guardian had returned. She signaled to Fyr and they dismounted their Sparrows to climb up to the door on foot. As they made their way up the left side, Jade spotted a metal ring cemented into the ground. "What is that?" she asked.

"It must be a Vex sync plate," said Delta, "I'm not sure what it's for."

They continued up, finally stopping in front of the door. It seemed even bigger closer up. Jade let out a breath. "Ok… How do we open it?" None of the records had been very helpful on this particular point.

"We could knock," Fyr suggested.

"...I doubt anything that answers is something you'll want to meet," said Spark darkly.

Jade looked around and spotted another sync plate a short distance away. "Maybe we have to stand on the plates?" They were obviously there for a reason.

Fyr nodded. "Sounds legit."

He made to go back to the one they'd passed before, when Delta spoke up, stopping him in his tracks. "According to my scans, there are three sync plates in the surrounding area."

Jade felt a bad feeling settle over her. "Someone needs to stand on each one for the Vault to open…" _Why can't things ever be easy?_

"What?!" Fyr exclaimed, "We came all this way for nothing?! ...There goes my cool adventure."

"Is there anything you can remember from the records?" Delta asked.

Jade frowned, thinking back. "Hold on… I think there _was_ something. A couple of them talked about the original fireteam that tried to take on the Vault… Something about not being able to open the Vault alone…" In retrospect, it was not very helpful information.

Fyr threw up his hands. "Well, we _know_ that."

"Wait!" said Delta excitedly, "I know what you mean. That phrase is attributed to Kabr the Legionless... 'No one can open the Vault alone. I opened the Vault. There was no one with me but I was not alone.'"

"Well that makes no heckin' sense!" said Fyr, "How could he've opened it if no one else was there?"

"Hmm," said Jade, "'There was no one with me but I was not alone…'" Suddenly a theory presented itself, striking her like lightning. "I think I might know!" She turned to Fyr. "The Vex can manipulate _time_."

"Yeah. So?"

"So what if the Vault is a fixed point, something that must be true in all universes and timelines? And what if Kabr, Pahanin, and Praedyth all arrived at the same time, relative to the _Vault_ but not to them!"

"Whaaaat?"

"What I'm saying is that maybe each of them arrived alone, but they were able to open the Vault because it isn't bound by the same laws of time and space... For all we know, they might not even have come from the same _universe_."

"Still don't get it, but whatever... What do you think we should do?"

"We're going to stand on the plates."

"But there's three of them and only-"

"Just trust me."

Fyr shrugged, then headed off to the left plate. It was a few minutes before he spoke again. " _Ok. I'm standing on it… Well whaddya know..._ nothing's _happening!"_

"I haven't stepped onto mine yet." Jade stepped into the circle. For a long moment, nothing happened and Jade was sure her theory would be proven wrong. Then a white grid slowly started to rise out of the metal.

" _Whoa! It's working!"_

"Vex inbound!" said Delta. Jade turned and saw grey clouds forming nearby.

" _Uh, Jade... There's a huge-ass Minotaur over here!"_

Just then, the air shimmered and a Minotaur teleported in, glaring at Jade. "I know! There's one over here too!"

" _Do we kill them?!"_

"Yes!"

" _Ok! I can do that!"_

As the Minotaur stomped toward her, Jade called out to Delta, "Delta! Rocket launcher please!" The weapon materialized in her hands. "Ok…" She took aim at the Minotaur and pulled the trigger. The rocket blasted it back a few feet, but it was still coming toward her. With a curse, she loaded another rocket and shot at it again. This time, the Minotaur collapsed into itself, falling to the ground. She was aware of a white beam forming over her head. A Vex spire. _Hopefully, it'll open the door._ She heard an explosion in the distance before Fyr's voice came over the comms.

" _Alright! It's dead!"_

Jade turned to the door and watched in astonishment as a gap formed at the bottom of the door, the panels collapsing into themselves until the Vault was open. "Get up here! The door just opened!"

" _Crap! Coming!"_ It wasn't long before Fyr came running up the left path. He stared at the door. "Oh man. So _that_ happened… Now what?"

"We go down," said Jade, walking forward. Fyr muttered something about 'crazy Warlocks' and followed after her.

Jade's first impression of the Vault was a bit underwhelming. She didn't know what she'd expected, but mossy stone and plants were not it. _The legendary Vault of Glass is in a drippy cave?_ They made their way down the rough stone stairs and followed a winding path that cut down through the rock.

"I thought it would be cooler," said Fyr in disappointment.

Jade sighed, but internally, she agreed with him. _Rocks and plants don't exactly scream "Stronghold of the Vex"..._ Finally, the path let out onto a stone ledge carved into chunky rectangular blocks that looked out over a deep crevasse filled with swirling mist.

"Wait," said Fyr. Jade looked back at him. "So if we needed three people to open the door... who do you think opened it with us?"

Jade shrugged. "There's no way of knowing," she said, "Maybe it was one of the other Guardians. Or maybe it was someone else... Who knows?" She looked around for the path and spotted a tunnel off to the side. "This way."

"More tunnels. Yay."

This tunnel was much shorter than the last one and soon gave way to a large cavern. Peering over the ledge, Jade could see another platform a bit lower down. "Looks like we'll have to do some jumping…"

"Yes! Parkour!"

Before Jade could say anything else, Fyr had jumped off the ledge onto the second platform. Jade hurried to follow him. From that platform, they had a farther jump. Jade used her glide and Fyr used his double jump to make it across. After that, there were a few more platforms before they came to the last one that looked over the largest section of all, dotted with ledges and enormous stone pillars. Smaller platforms stood close by, separated out like watchtowers. "Here goes nothing," Jade muttered. She tensed, preparing to make the jump down to the big platform. However, before she could move, a voice hissed at her from somewhere in the darkness to her right.

" _Stop_."

Jade flinched in surprise and looked around for the source of the voice.

Fyr spoke up. "What the _hell_ was-"

"Shh!" another voice hissed, "Do you _want_ the Vex to kill us all?"

Jade looked harder at the platform below. Sure enough, a number of Vex were patrolling it, crisscrossing in various patterns. "Where are you?" she whispered.

"Over _here_ ," the second voice said back, "...Honestly, it _would_ be a couple of kinder-Guardians."

"At least someone showed _up_ ," said the first voice.

Jade turned her head to follow the sound. " _Oh_." The silhouettes of two figures were crouched atop the nearest of the smaller pillars to the right of theirs.

"Right," said the second voice, "This is how it's gonna go. One of you is gonna stretch out towards us while the other one holds on. Then _I'm_ gonna jump across and _you're_ gonna catch me."

"Excuse me?" said Fyr.

"You heard me."

"Why can't you just make the jump without us?"

"Because even Guardians can only jump so far, numbskull. It was hard enough getting _here_ without the Vex spotting us."

Jade sighed and turned to Fyr. "Ok. I'm going to hold you."

"What? _No!_ "

"Shh! Listen, when have I given you a reason not to trust me?"

Fyr seemed to consider this. "Darn. You're right." He sighed heavily. " _Fine_."

"Great. Now lie down on your stomach."

Fyr complied, inching forward until his entire torso was extended over the edge. He looked back over his shoulder. "You sure you can hold two Guardians?" he asked.

"Fairly certain. I _am_ a Guardian too…"

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with before I come to my senses."

Jade reached down, grabbing Fyr's ankles. "We're ready," she said.

" _Finally_ ," said the second voice, "Ok. I'm jumping. If you drop me, I _will_ haunt you."

Jade heard the sound of running footsteps. She looked up and saw one of the figures launch themselves into the air. There was a soft _whoosh_. As the figure sailed toward them, Jade studied the distance. The other Guardian had been right. If they had tried that on their own, they would've come just short of the ledge, even reaching for it. There was a loud _thump_ as whoever it was crashed into Fyr and Jade felt herself stagger forward with the added weight, muscles straining. Gritting her teeth, she planted her feet, refusing to budge another inch. There was some groaning as the person climbed up.

"That was my _face_ ," said Fyr.

"Oops."

Jade watched as a hand appeared on the ledge next to Fyr and someone pulled themselves up. Jade dragged Fyr back, granting him a respite. Meanwhile, the figure stood up and brushed themselves off. Finally, Jade was able to get a good look. The Guardian was female, going by her stature. She wore long maroon robes with a pattern down the middle and her helmet was light grey.

"Thanks," she said, sticking out a hand. "I'm Korrin. Raedryon Korrin, but only call me Raedryon if you wanna start a fight. I go by Rae."

Jade shook her hand, forcing down her excitement. "I'm Jade Wrythal. That's Fyr Allerton." They'd done it! She and Fyr had found the two missing Guardians!

Across the chasm, someone cleared their throat. "I'm feeling a bit left out over here..."

"Oh yeah," said Rae. She turned to Jade, "You up for round two?"

This time, Rae held Fyr's other ankle. Jade saw the second Guardian, who had to be Harley Hayden, take a running start and cross the gap in two swift jumps. _Hunter._ This time, when he collided with Fyr, Jade was prepared for the sudden shift in weight. Together, she and Rae managed to haul them both up. Harley's Hunter armor was a light beige camo with orange accents. His cloak was white with an army green border, and he wore a white bandana across the lower half of his helmet.

He braced his hands on his knees and let out a breath before straightening up. "Phew. Thanks... You two saved us a _lot_ of trouble. My name's Harley Hayden."

"He goes by Ace," Rae interjected.

"I do _not_. Just because _you_ call me that-"

"Shard does too… But if you ask me, we should wait and finish this 'meet and greet' outside."

"We're not gonna take on the Vault?" said Fyr disappointedly.

"No," said Harley, "That's something _none_ of us are ready for… Let's get back to the surface."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Harley's back! Hope y'all are excited! Brief disclaimer on the Vault of Glass: the mechanics of the Vault's entrance and Kabr's line are open to be interpreted in whichever way you choose. What I wrote was just one of my interpretations of how the Vault works and what Kabr might have meant. Anyway, be sure to tell me what you thought of this chapter and anything you anticipate happening in the future. 
> 
> Btw, did you guys like my chapter title 'About Time'? 'Cause this chapter took place in the VoG? Geddit? Haha...I'll show myself out.
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	24. Warm Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"The courage to walk into the Darkness, but strength to return to the Light." - Parables of the Allspring**

* * *

Jade sighed in relief when she saw that the Vault door was still open. As the party crossed over the threshold and back out into the sunlight, she watched the tension drain from the other Guardians' shoulders.

Harley laughed. "Man does this sun feel nice." He reached up and pushed back his hood.

Jade's heart rate sped up. She was about to properly meet the only Guardian that had been revived on Mercury, the first Guardian after more than 6 years. The Guardian that had found Rasputin and destroyed the Black Garden. He unsealed the helmet and pulled it off, running a hand through his hair. Jade's eyes widened in surprise. Harley Hayden was a lot younger than she thought he'd be. He looked close to _her_ age. His build was on the smaller side, typical of most Hunters and his face was framed by chestnut brown hair that was only a couple inches shorter than Fyr's. He was also slightly more tan than Fyr. His nose wasn't as sharp and his cheekbones weren't as prominent. Jade didn't say it out loud, but she thought the palette of Venus suited him. It made his green eyes even more prominent.

Next to him, Rae removed her own helmet. She was indeed Awoken, as told by the pale teal shade of her skin and her glowing white irises. Her hair was black and buzzed close to her scalp. A pattern of black dots surrounded her eyes like one of the Golden Age masquerade masks and another lone dot stood out on her chin. She stood a couple of inches taller than Harley and carried herself with clear confidence. Jade looked at Fyr before they too took off their helmets. A flicker of surprise showed on the other Guardians' faces.

"Huh," said Harley, "...How long have you two been Guardians?"

"Not very long," said Jade.

"Well, thanks for the assist back there." He laughed. "Too much longer down there and I probably would've lost my mind."

" _I_ definitely would have," said Rae, "If only because I had _you_ for company."

"How'd you not get bored?" asked Fyr, " _I'd've_ been bored outta my mind if I was down there that long."

Harley laughed again. "It was fine. I was stuck on Mercury for two months. I think I can last a couple weeks in some cave... It just feels a lot longer when you're not sure if you'll get out."

Jade glanced at Fyr again and saw a reflection of her own confusion in his face. "A couple of weeks? ...You two have been missing for four _months_."

It was Harley and Rae's turn to be puzzled. "Four months? That can't be right. It was only a couple weeks, right Rae?"

Rae nodded and sent Jade an accusing look. "You trying to pull a fast one on us or something? Our Ghosts kept track."

Jade shook her head. "We were revived two months ago and when we got there you'd already been declared MIA for a while."

Harley shook his head. "No," he said, "If you were revived two months ago I would've seen you around the Tower."

"That's what I'm _telling_ you. You've been missing for _way_ longer than two weeks... It's the Vex. They can mess with time."

Harley's eyes widened in realization and he slapped his forehead. "I'm so stupid! ...I _knew_ that. I should've made the connection sooner!"

"So we've been gone for four months?" said Rae. She sighed. "...Bazzle's gonna tear me a new one."

" _Bazzle_?!" said Harley, "The _Vanguard_ are gonna tear _me_ a new one! When I left-"

"Ace, shut up. That's probably all in the past now. It doesn't matter." She turned to Jade. "Has anything happened at the Tower since we left?"

Fyr whistled and laughed. "Boy are _you_ behind!"

Jade sent him a glare before turning back to Rae. "A little while ago, a Guardian arrived at the Tower. The only survivor of the Moon mission… Eris Morn." Rae arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah," said Fyr, "And this big bad dude named Crota is building an army to invade Earth."

Harley shook his head and dragged a hand over his face, rubbing his temple. "We were gone too long."

"Yeah, no shit," said Rae. She picked up their helmets and shoved Harley's into his hands before putting her own back on. "We gotta get back there."

Fyr and Jade put their helmets back on as well. "Delta, could you summon the ship?"

"Yes. It's on its way."

* * *

Within minutes, all four Guardian ships were sailing through warp space back to Earth. Jade nearly laughed at the look on Amanda's face as they pulled into the Hangar. She transmatted out and had Delta store her helmet while she waited for the others. Fyr came next, then Rae, and finally Harley.

"By all the stars… _Ace_? Is that _you_?"

"Amanda! Hey!"

Jade watched as Amanda pulled Harley into a quick hug. "I always hoped I'd see you again," said the Shipwright with a grin. She looked past him. "Rae! You're back too! ...Torelli's been worried outta his mind."

Rae grimaced. "I figured…"

"You'd best be off to find him. Last I heard, he was in the mess hall with Kay and Rogue."

Rae nodded. "Will do."

Jade and Fyr followed the two other Guardians as they made their way toward the mess hall. "I can't believe we found them!" said Fyr excitedly.

"Same here!"

"Spark made me think they were _dead_ , man..."

"I wanted to prepare you for the possibility," said Spark.

"Whatever."

"I hoped we would find them," said Delta, "It appears positivity has paid off!"

They entered the mess hall. Bazzle, Rogue, and Kaedro we're sitting at one of the nearby tables. Jade grabbed Fyr's arm, letting him know to hang back as Harley and Rae approached the table. Bazzle looked up, his eyes widening for a split second before his eyebrows came together. Before anyone had time to speak, he rose from the table, striding towards Harley. The Hunter barely had time to brace himself before Bazzle punched him, a powerful right hook that sent Harley staggering backward into a table.

" _Damn_ ," said Fyr in a hushed tone, "I hope I never piss _him_ off..."

Harley picked himself up, rubbing his jaw. "I guess I deserved that."

Bazzle said nothing, turning to Rae. "It's good to have you back, Korrin."

The Warlock nodded. "It's good to be back, Baz." Bazzle clasped her arm and pulled her into a hug.

"Hell yeah," said Fyr.

"Shh," said Jade.

By this time, Kaedro and Rogue had risen from their seats. Both repeated the gesture with Rae, then Kaedro turned, eyeing Harley. "So you must be Ace."

Harley sighed, visibly giving up on anyone calling him by his actual name. "Yeah, that's me."

Kaedro stuck out a hand. "Kaedro-22. Call me Kay."

Harley took the hand with a grin. "Nice to meet you, man."

Kaedro gestured over his shoulder. "That's Rogue-12."

Rogue nodded, holding out his fist. Harley gave him a fist bump. "Nice to see some new faces around here."

"Hey! What about us?" said Fyr as he walked over with Jade following behind.

Harley gave them a smile. "Can't exactly forget the Guardians who pulled me out of the Vault of Glass...literally."

"Yeah, well I doubt they'll be forgetting it either Ace," said Rae, "Your ass is _heavy_."

"Actually I don't think I caught your names," said Harley.

"Oh, well...I'm Jade Wrythal," said Jade.

"Fyr Allerton," said Fyr.

"Your name is _Fire_?" said Harley in disbelief.

"You betcha. F-Y-R."

Harley nodded appreciatively. "Cool."

Bazzle cleared his throat. "So...the Vault of Glass then."

"Uh, yeah," said Harley, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "We probably should've told you..."

"Yes. You should have. Just as you should have informed the Vanguard."

"Yeahhh. About that… We didn't exactly...part on the best of terms."

Bazzle's expression softened minutely. "You should speak with them… Four months is more than enough time for anger to fade."

"Four months..." Harley muttered, shaking his head, "Still getting used to that… Um, mind if we join you? Haven't had food in...a lot longer than I thought."

"Actually, we were just about to head out," said Kaedro, "Crucible match. But _those_ two haven't eaten yet."

"Oh yeah!" said Fyr, "Thanks for reminding me!" He hurried over to get food.

Bazzle turned to Jade. "Wrythal. The Vanguard wished me to remind you that your next mission is tomorrow... Make sure Allerton knows."

"I will."

The Titan nodded. "Good." He turned to leave but paused. "…Thank you for finding Korrin and Hayden." He gave her a wry smile. "I'll...overlook the fact that Venus was off limits to you."

Jade blushed slightly. "Thanks."

Bazzle nodded again, then he, Kaedro, and Rogue departed. With a loud sigh, Rae dropped into a seat at the table, a laden food tray in front of her. Harley sat next to her with his own tray. Jade sat down across from him and Fyr claimed the chair next to her.

Harley took a couple of bites before speaking. "So it seems like we have a lot to talk about…"

"Understatement," Rae muttered.

"Yeah, well… I don't know how much you guys know about my revival, but I was found on Mercury by my Ghost, Prism." On cue, a Ghost with a shiny bronze shell popped into existence next to him.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," said Jade, "...We actually know a lot about your...story. We, um...did some research."

Harley seemed surprised. "Research? Ok… Then I guess you know about the Black Garden stuff."

Fyr nodded emphatically. "An' th' 'Siris stup."

Harley's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

"And the Osiris stuff," said Jade.

"Oh...right. Yeah. Good times... How'd you find out about all that?"

"I searched you up in the Vanguard's database. And... I talked to them."

"You talked to them about me? ...Were they...angry?"

Jade shook her head. "I think they feel guilty... You really should go see them."

Harley looked troubled. Rae snorted. He looked at her. "What?"

"Nothing. Just this kinder-Guardian already telling you what to do." Jade's lips thinned. Rae seemed to notice. "Hey, I meant that as a compliment. You gotta have a strong will to put up with this guy."

"...Well, I've been putting up with Fyr for two months, so there's that."

"Tell me he's not gonna be worse than Ace." Jade remained silent. Rae rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Outstanding..."

"So what did you find in the Vault of Glass?" Jade asked curiously. She'd wanted to ask ever since they got out.

Harley and Rae exchanged a knowing look. "We found out that we are very very unprepared," said Harley, "...Not that we tried to take on the Vault or anything. It was just a scouting mission."

Rae scoffed. "We didn't even make it past the Templar's Well."

"The whose _what_?" said Fyr.

"The Templar," said Harley, "A Hydra. A _huge_ Hydra. And its shield… There's no break in it. Nowhere shots could get through."

Rae nodded. "We figured out pretty quick that we'd need a lot more Guardians to take the Vault," she said.

Jade raised an eyebrow. "A fireteam?"

Harley shook his head. "Try _two_ fireteams."

" _Six_ Guardians?"

"At least."

Fyr leaned forward. "So you gonna put one together or what?"

Rae shot him an unimpressed look. "No. We were actually thinking of letting the Vex be."

"Really?"

The Warlock sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway. From what you told us, it sounds like we'll have to wait till this whole 'Crota' thing is done with."

Jade nodded. "Fyr and I are supposed to leave on a mission tomorrow to stop the Hive from waking him."

Harley whisted. "That's pretty heavy. Like, _that's_ the kind of stuff _I_ had to deal with. Well...good luck with all that. I'd offer to help but...we just got back. Besides, it seems like you guys got this covered."

"So what are you two going to do tomorrow?" Jade asked.

"I gotta upgrade my weapons," said Rae, "Some of 'em are looking a bit shoddy... Maybe I'll intimidate Banshee into giving me a discount."

Fyr scoffed. " _Banshee_? Yeah right."

Harley shook his head in warning. "You don't know Rae, man. She could scare the pants off a Cabal if she had to."

Rae grimaced. "Because we _all_ needed that mental picture. Thanks, Ace."

Harley sighed. "Yeah... Well, fixing weapons sounds like a lot more fun than what I'm gonna be doing… I think I'm going to go talk to the Vanguard."

"Ooh, have _fun_ with _that_."

"Thanks for the wonderful encouragement," Harley deadpanned, "Where would I be without you in my life?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure Harley would be dead as shit without Rae. Anyway, I hope you guys are excited to have them back in the story. Any predictions on what might happen next? The possibilities are endless. 
> 
> See you all in chapter 25!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	25. Long Awaited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"One day the Last City will be known as the First City." - Twilight Garrison**

* * *

Harley groaned as he rolled out of bed. He still couldn't believe he and Rae had been in the Vault of Glass for _four months._ He started to pull on his clothes as he watched Prism rise from the dresser and decided to share his thoughts with her. "I can't believe it's been four _months_."

"I _did_ tell you that exploring the Vault of Glass was a bad idea," said Prism unsympathetically, "But _you_ wanted to go anyway."

"Yeah yeah. I know. Still, it's hard to come to terms with."

"Mm. And you haven't even spoken to the Vanguard yet."

He grimaced. "Don't remind me… I know Bazzle said they're probably not mad anymore but...it just feels a lot more recent for me."

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

Harley nodded, starting for the door. "Do you think they're past the whole 'Osiris' thing?"

"That new Guardian Jade seems to think so." They began to make their way down the stairs.

"Yeah… What do you think about them? Jade and Fyr?"

"Well, I think it's good for you to meet other Guardians… Especially if you are serious about forming that team."

"I am... But it seems like this whole Hive thing is a bit more important right now, so I guess it'll have to wait." Harley stepped off the last step and headed in the direction of the Hall of Guardians.

"Harley Hayden wants to focus on the _Hive_ instead of the _Vex_?" said Prism in mock astonishment.

"Well, it's not like we can ignore it." They entered the Hall of Guardians.

"Hayden!" said Shaxx, "Welcome back! Torelli told me you'd returned."

"Hey, Shaxx."

"Come to join them in the Crucible?"

Harley shook his head. "Not this time."

Shaxx nodded. "Well don't worry. The Crucible isn't going anywhere."

Harley nodded and continued past him. His skin crawled with anticipation as he approached the entrance to the Vanguard room. _How will they react? Will they be happy to see me? Angry? Will they still think I'm Osiris?_ As he entered the room, he noticed another Guardian standing at the table across from Cayde, seemingly talking to herself. Her skin was pale and she wore dark armor. When she looked at him, Harley saw three glowing green eyes concealed behind a strip of black fabric. He shivered as he descended the last few steps. Then he directed his attention to the Vanguard, all of whom had stopped what they'd been doing to stare at him. There was a long uncomfortable moment where no one moved or spoke. Finally, it was broken by Cayde.

"I don't believe it."

"Hayden…" said Zavala in disbelief.

"You sure?" said Cayde, "Could be a ghost." He stepped closer to Harley. "You sure you ain't a ghost?"

Harley finally managed to get words out. "Pretty sure."

Cayde stepped closer again and poked him in the chest. "Holy shit it really _is_ you… C'mere kid." Harley was caught off guard as the Hunter pulled him in for a hug. Then Cayde stepped back, his hands on Harley's shoulders. "Man, I thought we lost ya. Would've been too bad 'cause then you wouldn't get to hear me say this… I...was a _mega_ jerk." Harley laughed. "No seriously kid. I shoulda said something to you, but instead, I just went along with it. I was a jerk. …And treasure those words, 'cause that's somethin' you'll only hear once in a blue moon." Cayde let his arms fall back to his sides.

"Don't worry," said Harley, "I forgive you." He turned to the other two Vanguard. "I forgive all of you."

Ikora sighed. "We haven't even apologized yet," she said, "But I will do so now… We jumped to conclusions, Harley. We kept our suspicions from you and we shouldn't have." She gave a wry smile. "Even the wisest can have faulty judgment at times."

Cayde whistled. "Talk about once in a blue moon…"

Zavala sighed. "I too apologize," he said, "I confess it was because of me that things ended the way they did. I was wrong about you, and some part of me knew it. Unfortunately, that just made me more unwilling to admit it."

Harley nodded. "I know… So does that mean we can put this whole Osiris thing behind us?"

"Yes _please_ ," said Cayde, "Osiris is a name I've been hearin' far too much recently."

There was another long moment of awkward silence. Harley cleared his throat. "Uh, so... I heard the Hive are up to something."

Cayde snorted. "When are the Hive _not_ up to somethin'? Creepy bastards… Hey, speakin' of creepy, have you met Eris Morn?" The 3-eyed Guardian across from Cayde shot him a death glare.

"I have not," said Harley, "Um… Nice to meet you?"

"I welcome any Guardian that can help assure Crota's destruction."

"Riiiight... Who's Crota?"

"Big bad Hive boss," said Cayde, "He's one of their gods or somethin'."

"His gaze is fixed on Earth," said Eris, "For months, his disciples have been gathering, preparing to invade... Now, if you'll _excuse_ me, I'm in the middle of running a mission." She turned away from them.

"Ookay. Can someone give me a run-down on whatever I missed? 'Cause apparently I missed a _lot_."

"Long ago," said Ikora, "a great battle was fought on the Moon between the Guardians and the Hive. Mare Imbrium... It was a battle we lost...with many casualties. Crota was there. Thousands died to his blade... The Consensus put sanctions in place to ensure that no such tragedy would befall us again. However some years ago, a fireteam of Guardians entered the Hive fortresses on the Moon to bring Crota down. Eris was one of them."

"She arrived at the Tower two months ago," said Zavala, "She brought news of the failed expedition and warnings of a new Hive threat, proven by Allerton and Wrythal's discovery of Hive on Earth. Since then, we have lowered the lunar sanctions and authorized missions to discover what they were planning."

Ikora nodded. "Not long ago, we discovered that the Hive were draining the Traveler's Light by the means of a dark ritual. Jade and Fyr stopped the ritual, giving us hope that the Traveler may yet heal. But now the Hive are engaged in the process of waking Crota's soul."

Harley shook his head. "Holy crap..."

"Sounds crazy," said Cayde, "But it's true. Fyr and Jade left this mornin'. Eris is talkin' to 'em right now over the comms."

Harley shook his head again. "I should be helping," he said, "If I was here sooner…"

"Kid, there's nothin' you could've done to prevent this from happenin'," said Cayde, "Sure, havin' another Guardian would've _helped_ , but that's all in the past now."

Harley shook his head again. "I can't just- I should be _out_ there."

"You should be resting," said Zavala, "However, given my knowledge of Guardians and Hunters in particular, I do not think that will happen."

"You're right. It won't. So if I could just-"

"Harley, even if we thought you were ready for another mission, there's still the matter of your last...outing," said Ikora.

Zavala nodded in agreement. "I believe you are aware that the Vault of Glass is off-limits," he said. Harley nodded and hung his head. "But seeing as you have already been there, we would like a report on what you and Korrin have discovered."

Harley looked up in surprise. All three Vanguard looked expectant. Even Eris Morn seemed curious. "Er, right… We didn't get very far, though."

Ikora smiled. "While that may be true, you are still our best source of information on the Vault. Ancient records and tales from a half-mad Hunter are hardly the most credible."

"That would depend on whether you consider Cayde to be a credible source," said Zavala.

"Hey!" said Cayde, "I resent that!"

Zavala looked back to Harley, motioning for him to speak. "Ok," said Harley, "So after we got past the entrance, which I won't explain 'cause I'm not sure I understood it myself, there's basically tunnels that go pretty far down underground and then a bunch of platforms that we had to jump across. Then we got to this huge platform with all these outcroppings and pillars and stuff. There were a lot of Vex there. Goblins, Harpies, Hobgoblins, Minotaurs… And these things called Fanatics which are like headless Goblins that explode when they get close."

"Is that all?" asked Zavala.

Harley shook his head. "No… We also saw the Templar."

Ikora's gaze sharpened. "The Templar?" she said, "The same Templar Kabr and Pahanin spoke of?"

Harley nodded. "It looks like a massive Hydra, except its shields don't have a gap... There's no way to damage it."

The Vanguards exchanged grave looks. "Now we know why Kabr's expedition was doomed to fail," said Ikora.

"Indeed," said Zavala. He turned back to Harley. "Thank you for telling us this, Hayden." Harley nodded. "We will leave the rest of the discussion for a later time. Presently, there are more urgent matters that require our attention, so on that note...you are dismissed for now."

Harley nodded again and turned to leave. Just before he got out of range, he heard Cayde's parting words. "It's good to have ya back, kid."

"Well that wasn't so bad," said Prism.

"Yeah... I guess there were a lot of ways that could've gone worse... At least they seemed happy to see me." Despite the fact that the City was plagued with the looming threat of one of the worst adversaries Guardians had ever faced.

"And they should be," said Prism matter-of-factly.

"Whatever you say," Harley muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Harley shrugged. "I mean, I'm back, but what good is that gonna do when a _Hive god_ is threatening to invade Earth? How could one Guardian hope to tip the scales? Especially when there're other amazing Guardians already out there like Bazzle and Jade and Fyr? I dunno, Prism...I just feel like everyone looks at me and sees something else...something I'm not. What makes _me_ so much better than all the other Guardians? Nothing! I'm not better than them. I'm _one_ of them. But when I face the Vanguard, the Speaker, even other Guardians, it's like they're all waiting for me to single-handedly save the freakin' galaxy or something. And that responsibility...it scares me." He shook his head. "They should find someone else to look up to... 'Cause I'm pretty sure I'm not the right person for the job."

Prism flew in front of him, making him stop. "I don't think you understand how important you are, Harley."

Harley sighed. "Believe me, I know... 'Last hope of humanity.' 'Extensions of the Traveler's Light.' I've heard it all before."

"I don't mean Guardians in general. I mean _you_. Personally."

Harley scoffed. "I just told you this...what have _I_ done that makes me any different from everyone else?"

"It's not about what you've done so much as what you represent. Think about it... For six years there were no new Guardians. Then _you_ show up out of the blue...and from Mercury no less. Your arrival brought new hope for the Guardians, for the City and its future." She paused before adding an afterthought. "Besides… You _have_ done some pretty amazing stuff."

Harley smiled. "Only 'cause I had a pretty amazing Ghost."

"...You'd better believe it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, it feels good to write from Harley's perspective again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As for all of you Jade and Fyr fans, don't worry. There will still be more chapters from their perspective. However, while I've got you all here, I'd like to bring up a point and ask a question. We're getting fairly close to the end of this story and like before, there will be a period of lag time before the third story comes out. So my question is twofold. 
> 
> First, would you guys be interested in seeing oneshots about the characters/ghosts/etc. and second, is there anything you'd like to request a oneshot of? I'll revisit this topic in later chapters, but I thought it was best to start getting feedback now.
> 
> Until next time, guys!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	26. The Wakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"We met a towering monster, wielding a sword of utter darkness. The Light only made it hungry. We tried to fight, and we fell. Too many times to remember. We were all brave, I assure you. May the Light find Guardians capable of facing this monstrosity, or I fear the Moon may be lost to us forever." - Ghost Fragment: Hive**

* * *

"Over the river and through the woods back to the Temple we go," muttered Fyr.

" _If all goes well, this will be the last time,"_ said Jade.

As their Sparrows sped towards the Anchor of Light, Eris' voice came over the comms. " _Six of us went down into that pit. I was vain enough to believe we could defeat Crota... But the Hive caught his soul before we could destroy him, and then, there was only death... We failed. You cannot."_

"Right," said Fyr, "No pressure or anything..."

" _We called it a Temple where we first saw Crota... Now you will make it his grave."_

"How many times have we even been here?" Fyr asked as they dismounted, "Feels like a lot."

Jade nodded. "There's the base we used," she said, pointing.

" _We hid there,"_ said Eris, " _waiting for the time to strike... We were brave, but we were not ready."_

"Let's hope _we_ are," said Jade under her breath.

"Yo Spark! You're slackin' on the ominous death predictions," said Fyr.

"I think this mission speaks for itself," Spark replied.

"Wow. What has it come to when even _Spark_ doesn't wanna say anything?"

They walked along the cliff into the canyon that would open into the Temple. As they came to the mouth of the Temple, Eris spoke again. " _Few of us made it beyond the canyon... The rocks cracked apart, Hive waiting in ambush. It was worse for the ones who made it inside."_

"Now I know why Spark's not saying anything. He's sulking 'cause his job got taken."

"Any advice?" asked Jade.

" _Stay alive."_

"Stellar," said Fyr, "I like that advice." Suddenly, Hive Tombships warped in near the Temple's entrance, dropping off Hive. Fyr whistled. "That's a _lot_ of ugly." He pulled his sniper and started picking off the Acolytes and Knights.

"I'm going to move around the right side," said Jade.

Fyr nodded and kept an eye on her as she made her way up onto a ledge. But before she could start killing anything, several floating masses that Fyr hadn't noticed opened up, revealing a harsh purple light. Jade ducked as bursts of it impacted the spot where she stood. "What the hell are those things?!" hissed Fyr.

"Hive Shriekers!" said Spark.

Fyr swiveled, aiming his sniper rifle at the center of the nearest one. He fired twice, causing the Shrieker to explode. "Least that works." He swiftly took down the other two, allowing Jade to begin taking down the rest of the Hive. Close to the door, Fyr saw two Knights surrounded by several Cursed Thrall. Smirking, he aimed his sniper rifle at one of the Thrall and fired. The explosion gave way to a chain reaction, successfully killing the Thrall as well as both Knights. Soon, there were no Hive left. "Whoo! Good job team!" Jade rejoined him as he neared the entrance.

All of a sudden, a burst of audio came through the comms. " _...Big bad Hive...one of their gods…"_

"That sounds like Cayde," said Fyr, "What the heck?"

" _...gaze...fixed...Earth ...months...disciples...been gathering...invade...me...running mission."_

"That was Eris again," said Jade, "Eris! What's going on?"

" _My apologies."_ She sounded disgruntled. " _I was explaining our current situation to the new Guardian."_

"New Guardian?" said Fyr, "You mean Ace?"

" _Ace? Who is Ace?"_

"He means Harley Hayden," said Jade.

" _Ah. Yes. He is here... The Vanguard seem...pleased to see him."_

"That's good," said Jade.

All of a sudden, an angry roar rung out through the Temple halls, echoing between the rocks. "What the cheese sandwich was _that_?!" yelled Fyr.

"Cheese sandwich?"

"...Shut up. What _was_ that?"

" _I know that sound!"_ said Eris in alarm, " _Hurry!"_

Fyr turned and ran into the Temple, Jade behind him. They moved as fast as they could through various corridors and down many flights of stairs. They'd just descended into the World's Grave when a disturbing, inhuman whisper echoed through the chamber.

" _Crota,"_ said Eris, " _The ritual has begun!"_

Shriekers opened overhead and Fyr saw a ton of Cursed Thrall staggering towards them. "Get the Shriekers!" he said, "I'll take the kamikazes!" He drew his hand cannon and fired at the first Thrall, watching in satisfaction as they exploded one by one. He heard blasts as Jade's fusion took out the Shriekers. When the room was clear, they pressed forward. They had to fight off several more waves of Thrall before reaching the Chamber of Night.

"We're getting close," said Jade. They crossed the threshold and made their way down a hallway that kept getting darker. Delta and Spark illuminated the path for them. Another whisper echoed through the darkness and a sigil of sickly green fire sprung to life in front of them. "A Wizard's vestige... I think we have to follow them."

Looking ahead, Fyr saw more vestiges leading down the path. "Nice of them to make a trail for us. 5-star review material."

" _Keep going,"_ said Eris, " _Find the Wakers. Stop them!"_

Fyr and Jade followed the trail of vestiges further in, stopping several times to fight off the Knights and Acolytes along the way. Fyr heard yet another whisper. "Really going all out with the creep-factor." As though they'd been summoned, an army of Thrall and Acolytes appeared, blocking their path. As Fyr fought his way through the Thrall, he heard Eris warn them, " _They're waking his soul!"_

At the end of the path, they came face to face with an Ogre. "Great."

"I can take him," offered Jade.

"Nah. I got this." Raising a hand, Fyr summoned his Golden Gun, blasting the Ogre to ashes. "Welp, it's gonna be a while before I can do _that_ again. I guess it's down to you."

Jade nodded. "Let's finish this."

They crossed the threshold and were met with a huge cavern. In the middle was an enormous green crystal, surrounded by four Wizards, the Wakers of Crota. In between them and the crystal was a bridge spanning a shallow pit. Kneeling on the bridge were four Knights.

" _Crota! They're waking him!"_

"Here goes nothing," said Fyr. He took aim at one of the Knights, but before he could shoot, a grenade landed in their midst, exploding into a glowing sphere of Light and warmth. The Knights howled as they disintegrated, alerting the Wakers, who shrieked in rage before splitting off.

"Fyr, you know how you've been waiting for the right time to use your machine gun?" said Jade.

"Yeah. Is that time now?"

She nodded. "That time is definitely now."

"Hell yeah! ...Spark!" Fyr's machine gun flashed into existence. "You got my back right, Jade?"

"Don't worry. I've got you."

Fyr took aim at the nearest Waker and began to shoot. "Whoooo!" he shouted over the noise. He mowed down the first two Wakers and turned to kill the others. Jade had gotten there first... Two grenades were floating in the air where the two Wakers had been. She nodded to him before her gaze fixed on something behind him.

"Uh-oh."

Fyr turned to see what she was looking at. The giant crystal had lifted from the ground and began to spin. Eris' voice came back over the comms. " _The crystal - destroy it!"_

Jade, still burning with Solar Light, hurled grenades at it as Fyr shot it with his machine gun. Pieces of debris were spinning around it in attempts to block their attacks and more Hive appeared as the crystal fired green bolts of energy at them. Fyr ignored the Hive in favor of the crystal, moving away from them as he continued to shoot. Finally, with an ear-shattering _bang_ , the crystal was destroyed. It sparked and spun into oblivion, causing the Hive to retreat, defeated. Spark took Fyr's machine gun, and he stood in place for a long time, breathing heavily. He glanced over at Jade. The Warlock had a hand to her head, visibly exhausted. Eris' voice came back over the comms, sounding more subdued.

" _Crota's soul is banished. You have given me the gift of vengeance... I thank you. And even if they don't know it yet, the City thanks you."_

"Yeah well they'd better give me free ramen for _life_ ," said Fyr.

Jade laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just the fact that after all this, your mind is still on food."

"Woman, it's called _priorities_... Now aren't we supposed to be leaving?"

* * *

"So Crota's soul has truly been banished?" said Ikora.

Fyr shrugged. "That's what it looked like."

"If what you say is true, then the City is in your debt," said Zavala.

"Cool… So does that mean we're done?"

"Not yet," said Eris, "Omnigul is still out there... If she is left alive, Crota may still yet be brought to this world."

Fyr shrugged. "So we'll just kill her... She's just _one_ Wizard."

"Do not forget that just because you have prevented Crota from waking does not mean you have beaten the Hive. New armies are gathering in the Cosmodrome under Omnigul's command."

"Ok, so when do we leave for this next one?" asked Jade.

"Tomorrow. We must not let Omnigul's forces grow any stronger." Jade nodded.

"Allerton, Wrythal. You are dismissed," said Zavala.

"Just when we finally thought we were done," Fyr grumbled as they crossed the plaza, "Now we're getting sent on another mission... Huzzah."

"I thought you _liked_ going on missions," said Jade.

"I _do_. But I wanna do one on a different planet. I'm tired of going back and forth between the Earth and the Moon. Why can't we do one on _Venus_ or something?"

"You think that's likely to happen?"

"Nah, I was joking." He laughed. "They probably wouldn't let us go back there after the shit we've pulled... But there's still Mars and stuff."

Jade sighed. "I guess... You know, I've been thinking-"

"When have you _not_ been thinking?"

She ignored him. "I've been thinking we _have_ to be going back to the Vault of Glass at _some_ point... That couldn't have been all for nothing."

"Well you heard Ace, he wants to put a team together."

"I know. I was _there_ when he said that. It's just- Hold on." She turned to face him. "When did _you_ start calling him 'Ace'?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Just sorta stuck. Kay calls him that. Rae too."

Jade started walking again. "Whatever. Would the Vanguard even sign off on that? A whole team of Guardians going to the Vault of Glass?"

Fyr shrugged. "They could always go back to the classic Guardian trademark: sneak out." He laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time… Or the second."

They entered the mess hall and grabbed some food before sitting at one of the tables. After a while, Fyr spoke up again. "Man, I can't believe we just got back from hitting Crota's snooze button and they're already sending us out again."

"Well... Omnigul _is_ Crota's lieutenant so I can see why they wouldn't want her around."

Fyr sighed. "I guess you got a point. She _did_ try to hack Rasputin."

"Exactly. Besides, no one said being a Guardian was going to be _easy_."

A laugh sounded from behind Fyr. "You're telling _me_." Fyr turned and saw Harley standing there. "I wish I knew what I'd signed up for before I did it," he said, dropping into a seat next to Jade, who looked a little startled by his presence.

Spark piped up. "I wish I'd known what _having_ a Guardian would be like before I revived Fyr..."

"Rude," said Fyr. He turned back to Harley, motioning to his Ghost. "This is my Ghost, Spark. Spark, this is Ace."

"Hey," said Harley. He motioned to the Ghost hovering at his side. "This is Prism."

"Hello," said Spark.

"Nice to meet you," said Prism. She looked at Jade. "And this is?"

"Oh, right," said Harley, "This is Jade and her Ghost… Delta, was it?"

Color rose in Jade's cheeks. "Yeah. Um, this is Delta."

"Greetings!" said Delta.

"Hello," said Prism.

"Anyway," said Harley, "I, uh, overheard what you were talking about - sorry for eavesdropping by the way - and I just wanted to ask about the strike you're doing."

"What about it?" asked Fyr.

"Well...would you guys mind if I came with you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update guys. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do it yesterday because I was traveling. Anyway, I hoped you liked the chapter. I told you that we'd be hearing from Fyr and Jade again ;) In other news, I've gotten positive responses to the idea of oneshots, so I think that'll be another up-and-coming project. Maybe you guys would be interested in hearing how the Guardians died in their past lives...
> 
> See you next time!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	27. Strange Familiarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Three human beings stood on a high ridge and saw the shape of the future. Saw rain strike a millennia-old desert. Felt the air sweeten with oxygen and warm water and the beginnings of life." - Ghost Fragment: Human 4**

* * *

Jade wanted to crawl under the table and die without Delta reviving her. She was making a complete fool out of herself and Harley Hayden was sitting right next to her! She'd almost lost it when he sat down and she was sure Fyr had noticed. _Even if he didn't, he couldn't have missed my damn blushing when Harley asked me about Delta._

Jade wasn't sure how it had happened, but she knew without a doubt that in the span of them finding Harley and returning to the Tower, she'd developed one hell of a crush. The worst part was, she _knew_ it was irrational, especially having just met him. It didn't help that he was something of an enigma either. _He was revived on_ Mercury _. The first new Guardian in six_ years _._ Jade had grown up on stories and puzzles, and Harley had proven to be a challenging puzzle indeed. She had recognized her crush for what it was almost as soon as it had begun. She was more flustered around him and her tendency for second-guessing herself had doubled. She took a deep breath as discreetly as she could. Even worse was the fact that Fyr had no trouble carrying on a normal conversation with him.

She realized she'd tuned out and quickly snapped herself out of it, only to hear Harley say, "...if I came with you?"

Jade hadn't caught the first part in time, but she got the gist of it. _He wants to come with us on the strike._ She tried to figure out how she felt about that. On one hand, having another Guardian with them was sure to be helpful. On the other, she'd be a wreck the whole mission. Too late, she realized that both Hunters were looking at her expectantly. _Oh crap! No! Tell him no!_ "Uhhh...sure." She almost facepalmed.

Harley grinned. "Great. Is there anything I should know about Omnigul? ...Besides her being Crota's lieutenant?"

"How'd you know that?" demanded Fyr, "Do you read _minds_?"

"Uh, no... You guys mentioned it earlier. When you were talking."

Fyr narrowed his eyes. "You _sure_ you're not a mind-reader?"

Harley ran a hand through his hair. "Pretty sure. Jade said it. Ask her."

Jade's mouth felt as dry as a Martian desert. "Um, yeah. I...did."

"Ok, whatever," said Fyr, "The only other thing you gotta know 'bout Omnigul is she screams _uber_ loud. Like Kay-falling-out-of-his-chair loud."

Harley seemed amused. "When did _that_ happen?"

"...It may or may not have happened a few days ago."

"It seems odd that a Hunter would just fall out of his chair for no reason," said Prism.

"...I may or may not have tipped it."

Harley laughed. "The Tower is so much _cooler_ when other Guardians are around!"

"Hella… So do you wanna help me find Cayde's hidden spicy ramen shop?"

"Cayde has a secret spicy ramen shop? I _knew_ he was hiding something... Let's do it."

Jade watched the two Hunters leave, wishing she wouldn't turn into a total moron whenever Harley was around. She sighed.

"Is something wrong?" Delta asked.

"Um, no. Just...wondering if it's a good idea to bring Harley with us."

"Of course it is! You never know when having another Guardian around could be helpful. Especially a capable Guardian like Harley."

"I suppose. It's just that he's so...intimidating to be around." She'd decided to leave out the part about her having a crush on him. _Delta doesn't need to know about that._

"I don't blame you," said Delta, "He _has_ done some pretty amazing things… To tell you the truth, his Ghost kind of intimidates _me._ "

"Prism? Why?"

Delta shrugged. "She's so self-assured. You can tell she knows what she's doing."

"Hey, _you_ know what you're doing too," said Jade, "You're a wonderful Ghost! I wouldn't trade you for her _any_ day."

Delta's shell spun. "Thank you, Jade! ...I'm glad you're my Guardian." The rest of their conversation was cut short when Rae plopped down into the seat across from Jade.

"Got all my weapons fixed," she said in lieu of a greeting. "Wish Banshee didn't make the heavy ammo synthesis so damn expensive though."

"Hello," said Jade.

"Hey. I can't remember if you've met Shard yet."

"Shard?"

"My Ghost." Rae nodded at the black-shelled Ghost beside her.

"Oh. No, I haven't."

"Well, this is Shard. Shard, this is Jade and her Ghost, Delta."

"Nice to meet you!" said Delta.

"Hello," said Shard. He fixed his glowing blue eye on Jade. "So your name's Jaedryth Wrythal? ... _Ouch_."

Jade didn't know how to respond to that. "Don't mind him," said Rae as she pushed the Ghost away, "He can be an ass sometimes."

"Hmph. Look who's talking," the Ghost muttered.

Rae shot Jade a look. "Case in point... Shard's favorite pastime is shit-talking other Guardians in the Crucible."

"It's not like they can _hear_ me."

"No. But _I_ can and it's distracting as all hell." Rae shook her head in mock disappointment.

"At least he doesn't do it to you," said Jade.

"Oh no. He does. Once I got cornered by Kay and Rogue during Mayhem… Wanna know what he said? 'Should I wait for you to die or just say 'Guardian down' now?'"

"Did you die?" Jade asked curiously.

"You kidding? I was facing a slam and a fiery gun. What do _you_ think happened?"

"Guardian down," said Shard.

"You are just _asking_ for me to give you to Variks, aren't you?"

"Who's Variks?" asked Jade.

"Fallen. House Judgement. Serves the Awoken Queen... And he's been interested in Guardian's Ghosts for a while."

"You'd better not let some creepy Fallen have me," said Shard.

"Oh yeah? Why not?"

"Well for starters, you'd be forced to actually talk to other Guardians more."

"...Good point."

Jade cleared her throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but Fyr and I are going on a mission tomorrow. Would you be interested in joining us?" _If she comes too, I won't have to have any awkward interactions with Harley._

"Sorry, but I'm heading into the City tomorrow. Gonna catch up with my friends."

"Oh. Ok."

"Ace going with you?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't worry. He may be an idiot, but he knows what he's doing. I've trusted him to have my back a few times now and he's never let me down… By the way, if you tell him that...you'll be sorry."

"My lips are sealed."

"That's the spirit." Rae got to her feet. "Well it's been nice talking to ya or whatever, but I'm gonna get going."

"Ok. Goodbye."

"Later Jade, Delta."

* * *

Jade sighed as she approached the railing of the Traveler's Walk. Apparently, her Ghost heard her, because she decided to speak up.

"Ok, Jade. What's the matter? I can tell something's bothering you and I want to know what it is."

Jade sighed again. Clearly, she wouldn't be able to avoid telling Delta about her problem. _She's bound to find out eventually, anyway._ "...It's Harley," she said.

"Harley? What about him?"

"I...like him."

Delta seemed puzzled. "Well, he's a good guy. I like him too… Wait. You mean…? Ohhh."

"I don't know what to do, Delta! Whenever I'm near him, I turn into an idiot! How am I supposed to focus on a mission if he's going to be there?"

"Jade, believe me, you are not the first person to feel this way. It's a part of life."

"But what do I do about it?"

It was Delta's turn to sigh. "Well, the way I see it, you can do one of two things. You can either tell him how you feel or you can not tell him and bottle up your feelings in a very unhealthy way."

"I don't want him to know how I feel! That would just make things worse! I'm _not_ going to tell him."

"...I specifically told you that bottling up your feelings is _unhealthy_."

"I don't care! I don't even want to _think_ of what would happen if he found out. It would be so embarrassing!"

"Ok... But just so you know, things like this tend to make themselves known whether you want them to or not."

Jade shook her head. "No. It won't. I'll make sure of it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed that quick visit back with Jade. Sorry for how short the chapter was. In any case, I have a couple more questions that will affect upcoming stories. I'm not sure how many of you are interested in leaving a comment, but if you are, there's two things I'd like to get your opinions on.
> 
> First: what's your opinion on the Jade/Harley thing? I wrote this in to give myself the option but I thought I'd leave it up to you guys. To ship or not to ship, that is the question.
> 
> Second: Someone mentioned this wayyy back in HMW when I introduced Ace as Harley's nickname. (Slight disclaimer: I had plans for Ace to be his nickname before I even played D2). For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it's revealed through letter fragments that Cayde used to be human and that he had a son named Ace. So my question is, would you like to see a short story exploring that idea?
> 
> Thank you all for reading! :D
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	28. Crota's Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"That shriek, that wicked laugh. If you listen closely, you can hear power in its song." - Grimoire of Omnigul, Will of Crota**

* * *

Harley let out a breath as he was transmatted into the Cosmodrome. _It's been so long since I've been here…_ The last time had been when he'd fought that Fallen Walker and met the Stranger. _I was so clueless back then. I hadn't even known about the_ Black Garden _._ He heard two faint _zaps_ as Jade and Fyr appeared next to him.

"You ready fam?" asked Fyr.

"I guess so... I mean, I've never seen the Hive before so that'll be an experience."

"Well they're real ugly and they scream a lot."

Harley nodded. "So...Omnigul then. I get that she's bad news, but how bad are we talking?"

" _Omnigul is the last of Crota's generals_ ," said Eris over the comms, " _She is the architect of her master's wakening. As long as she lives, the threat of his return will haunt this world. Track her down, and exterminate every Hive that stands in your way."_

"Ookay so she's pretty bad then... Guess we'd better get going."

They summoned their Sparrows and sped off towards the Skywatch where Omnigul was apparently spawning a new Hive army. In almost no time at all, they had made it to the Terrestrial Complex. Harley shivered as they dismounted. "This place gives me the creeps."

"You're telling me," said Fyr, "Heebie with a side of the jeebies."

They climbed up the stairs into a higher level. " _Omnigul is wicked and desperate,"_ said Eris, " _Keep your Light safe."_

"Great," said Harley, "Any pointers on _how_ we do that?" Eris did not reply. "Fantastic."

They entered a large room and were met almost immediately with gunfire. "Fallen?" Jade sounded confused. "Where are the Hive?"

"Who cares," said Fyr.

Harley pulled his hand cannon and began shooting them down. His companions joined in and before he knew it, the room was clear. _So this is what having backup feels like._ However, barely thirty seconds later, a swarm of weird... _creatures_ came pouring out of the far doorway. "What the hell?!"

"Yup!" said Fyr, "Those are Thrall!"

Their hand cannons made quick work of most of the Thrall. Those they missed were incinerated by Jade. Suddenly, a towering spiky figure came stomping toward them. "Knight!" yelled Jade in warning.

Harley turned, drew his knife, and hurled it into the Knight's skull, where it was joined almost instantly by a second one. As the Knight crumpled to the floor, Harley heard Fyr laugh. "Do they have a jinx for simultaneous knife-throwing?"

Harley walked forward, retrieving both blades. "That was you?"

"Yup."

He inspected the knives before handing Fyr's over. The other Hunter's knife was shorter and denser than his own, something he found interesting. "What ability do you have?"

Fyr sheathed his knife. "Gunslinger. How 'bout you?"

"Bladedancer." "Oh cool! I've never seen one before!"

"Guys, can we do this later?" said Jade. She pointed at another doorway. "The path is clear."

Harley nodded. "Let's keep going."

They headed down the corridor. "Eris, do you know why the Fallen were here?" asked Jade.

" _The Hive have stirred the scavengers... Omnigul's clever. Using the Fallen against you."_

"I guess it'd be too much to hope that she'd be stupid," said Fyr, "Darn."

They headed up a couple more flights of stairs and into another room with a large open doorway leading outside. When they came to it, Harley saw a Fallen Captain as well as the telltale shimmering of invisibility shields. "Wonderful." He grabbed his grenade and chucked it into the Fallen's midst. In a blast of arc energy, Fallen Vandals were sent every which way. He watched as Jade vaporized the Captain with her fusion rifle.

"Nice!" said Fyr. But before he could celebrate too much, more Fallen came charging towards them. It took them several minutes to kill them all.

"Wow. I can't remember the last time I had this much trouble with the Fallen," said Harley, "I've been after the Vex for so long, I almost forgot what it was like to fight other races."

"That's like us with the Hive," said Jade, "...And we're not even finished yet."

They headed around the outside into another structure, which was largely abandoned. It led down into the Skywatch, from which they exited into the rocky, icy terrain of the Cosmodrome. A few feet away was a Hive Seeder, spiky and menacing. "Don't tell me…" said Harley, "We're gonna have to go in there aren't we?"

"Righto," said Fyr.

They hopped down the small ledge, making their way toward the Seeder. " _Omnigul's only purpose is to usher in Crota's return,"_ said Eris, " _If she lives, our fight against Crota's armies may never end."_

"Good to hear," said Harley. He turned to Fyr. "Have _all_ of your missions been like this?"

"Yup."

"That sucks, man." They headed through the Seeder into a subterranean tunnel system that twisted and turned until they came to a metal sliding door. "Knock knock," said Harley dryly.

Fyr cleared his throat and proceeded to speak in a falsetto. "Excuse me! Would you take a minute to hear about our lord and savior the Traveler?"

"Shh!" hissed Jade, sounding annoyed.

Prism appeared in front of Harley to unlock the door. The space beyond was much larger with much higher ceilings. "The Jovian Complex," said Prism, "This is a Darkness Zone, so watch out."

They pressed forward. After rounding a few corners, they came to a wide corridor. A Wizard was floating at the end. Upon seeing them, she let loose a horrible wail. Eris' voice sounded over the comms. " _Omnigul! Destroy her!"_

"She's yelling at us!" said Fyr as he shot at her with his hand cannon. A horde of Thrall came sprinting toward them.

"Holy-!" Harley stepped back, firing and reloading as fast as he could. A Knight charged through holding a sword. Fyr took it out with his grenade and Harley hit the next one with his own. As they moved around the corner, they were faced with another Knight and a Wizard as well as more Thrall, both cursed and not. "Right," said Harley, "Fyr, you get those Thrall. Jade, take out that Knight… I'll get the Wizard."

As he shot at the Wizard, he registered the sounds of battle. He heard the explosions of the Knight's rockets and the bigger explosions of Thrall dying. Soon, the Wizard was dead and he turned to help Jade finish off the Knight when something else entered the room. This Hive was huger than almost anything Harley had seen, its size comparable to that of a Vex Gate Lord. It didn't seem to have any eyes, just a bulging mass of a head that emitted a purple beam. "Ogre!" said Jade.

"Rocket launcher!" said Harley. As soon as he had it, he knelt, aiming at the Ogre's forehead. The rocket left the barrel with a _hiss_ and impacted the Ogre with one of the loudest blasts so far. The Ogre crashed to the floor, the ground shaking as its body impacted the earth. Harley stored his rocket launcher and was reaching for his hand cannon, when something suddenly sliced down his arm, ripping through his armor and burning like a line of fire. "Ow! Damnit!" He stabbed the Thrall that had clawed him and turned to yell at Fyr for not doing his job. But his voice died in his throat when he was met with the sight of Fyr locked in a battle with another Knight holding a sword.

He was about to run to help him, but Jade stopped him. "He's fine Harley! We need to take out the Thrall!"

Harley glanced around. She was right. The place was still swarming with them. He holstered his gun and took a deep breath. He could feel the Light inside him, filling him with its strength and power. He reached for that power now, drawing it from within and letting it gather and build until it was released in a burst of Arc energy. Harley didn't remember grabbing his knife, or even moving at all. All he was aware of was the pulse and crackle of the lightning and the sharp scent of ozone. When he came to his senses, the sight of the smoking bodies of Thrall and Knights greeted him, as well as the awestruck faces of his companions.

"Holy. Freakin'. _Shit_ dude!" said Fyr, "That was the _coolest_ thing I've ever seen!"

Jade's mouth opened and closed. She was seemingly having trouble finding her words. "That… W-was that…?"

"It's called Arc Blade," said Harley, "All Bladedancers can do it." Fyr and Jade stared at him. He coughed. "We should get moving now. ...If we wanna kill Omnigul, that is."

Jade shook her head as though she was snapping herself out of a trance herself. "Right. Let's keep moving."

They entered a short corridor that led to another room. The darkness inside was oppressive, interrupted only by the greenish glow of crystals and the eyes of the Hive. Omnigul floated above a raised platform, shrieking and shooting beams of energy at them. Knights were scattered about the room and Harley could see the electric blue blasts of their rockets as they shot at the Guardians. "I'm gonna get to the platform and stick by the right wall!" he said, "It looks like stairs lead up to it on either side. I'm gonna need you guys on each side, keeping the Thrall away. I'll help you take out the Knights, then we'll focus fire on Omnigul."

Fyr nodded. "Sounds good! Let's roll!"

The Guardians split off, each going to their respective place. For a while, it seemed like they were doing a good job of keeping the Hive under control. Then all of a sudden, the room was flooded with a new wave of Thrall, Knights, and Wizards. Jade and Fyr were getting swamped. Harley knew they would have to change the plan. "Guys! Forget the plan! Come up here with me and cover the stairs!"

They did as he asked and it seemed to help. Then Jade called out from the left. "It's no good! They won't stop coming!"

"Crap! Any ideas!"

"I'll use my Radiance to stem them with grenades! You two get Omnigul!"

"Good idea!" Harley retrieved his rocket launcher. "Fyr! You said you were a Gunslinger right?"

"Yep!"

"Ok! On Jade's signal, shoot at Omnigul! I'll back you up with my rockets!"

"Alright! ...What's the signal?"

A bright glow filled the room as Jade accessed her Radiance, hurling grenades into the Hive swarm below. "That's it! Shoot!"

Fyr raised his hand to the sky and lit up with Solar energy. In his hand was a golden hand cannon, blazing with fire. Harley watched him send three shots into Omnigul before he shot his rocket at her head. _Boom!_ Omnigul gave one last screech of rage and pain before she was vaporized into ash. He let his rocket launcher drop with a _clang_ and began trying to slow down his heart rate. Fyr and Jade walked over to stand next to him, both breathing heavily.

"We done did it!" said Fyr excitedly, "Hell to the yes!"

"I can't believe it," said Jade, "We actually _did_ it."

" _Yes,"_ said Eris with satisfaction, " _The agents of Crota's Will have been defeated... The Hive will not take this transgression lightly. But I believe you three have given them something new to fear."_

* * *

" _Please_ tell me we're done with this Crota dude," said Fyr. The three Guardians and their Ghosts were making their way across the plaza to the Hall of Guardians.

"Only the Vanguard will know for sure," said Spark.

"You mean Eris," said Jade.

Harley shrugged. "Either way, we're about to find out..."

They entered the Vanguard's room. Zavala looked surprised. "Hayden. ...And Allerton. And...Wrythal." He sighed. "I dread to know what this will bring."

"Relax, Zav, I'm sure it's nothin'," said Cayde. He turned to look at Harley. "Please tell me it's nothing?"

Harley cleared his throat. "Uh, well, actually… We came to give our report on the Omnigul strike."

Cayde groaned. "You're killin' me here, kid."

"You went on a strike?" Zavala demanded. "After you were told to remain in the Tower?"

"...Yes."

Zavala passed a hand across his eyes with another sigh before he turned to Eris. "And you didn't think to inform us that Hayden was on the strike?"

"How was I to know you had forbidden him?"

"Uhhh how 'bout 'cause you were in the room when it happened?" said Cayde, "This one ain't gonna be pinned on _me_."

Eris shot the Hunter a glare. "I may have been present, however, I was _also_ in the middle of preventing Crota from waking."

Cayde looked like he was about to retort, but Ikora cut him off. "Regardless of whether or not he should have been there, Harley was still there. And as Omnigul has been eliminated, I see no reason for pointless arguing." Zavala didn't look happy, but he didn't say anything.

"...Right," said Harley, "So now that we've cleared that up, the three of us have a question."

"Yes?" said Zavala.

"Does Omnigul's death mean that the Crota case is closed?"

There was a moment of silence in which all three Vanguards turned to look at Eris. She sighed. "You have successfully prevented Crota from coming to our world. However, the threat of his return, while distant, still exists."

"How is that possible?" asked Jade.

"Yeah, we shattered the guy's soul crystal thing," said Fyr. "I have learned much from Toland regarding the Hive... Crota may be banished from our realm, but do not mistake him for dead. He will wait in his Throneworld until he gathers enough strength to try again."

"What's a Throneworld?" asked Harley.

"In simplest terms, it is another dimension. Killing him within its confines is the only way to make his death...permanent."

"But after _that_ happens, we'll be done right?" asked Fyr.

"With Crota, yes."

"Ok, so how do we get to his Throneworld then?" asked Harley.

"The entrance to Crota's Throneworld lies within the Hellmouth."

" _What?_ " Fyr demanded, "It's been right under our noses this whole time?!"

"Yes. But entering it and defeating Crota will require a strength even three Guardians together do not possess... It is in his Throneworld that he is strongest."

"Whoa whoa whoa," said Cayde holding up his hands, "So we're talkin' about sendin' a team of _Guardians_ into the _Hellmouth_ to fight a Hive _god_? ...No offense, but the last trip didn't exactly...go well."

Eris glared at Cayde again. "It is the only way to ensure Crota will not return. If he did, many more would be at risk."

"We can do it," said Harley.

" _Excuse me_?" said Fyr.

Harley ignored him. "We can go into the Hellmouth and kill Crota."

"Three Guardians is too few," said Ikora, "I don't think Eris is wrong in that."

"Neither do I. That's why we'll have more than three Guardians."

"And how do you propose to accomplish this?" asked Zavala.

Harley gave a knowing grin. "Don't worry, I have a few people in mind..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter everybody. I got too absorbed in other things yesterday and it completely slipped my mind. Aside from that, I've made more progress on story 3 and decided who will be staying. I won't reveal anything before it's published though. As for the other things, I've decided I will not be shipping Jade and Harley. However, I've already begun writing for the other idea I mentioned, though it won't be coming out until after the third story.
> 
> I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in 29!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	29. Social Awkwardness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Hope. And standing with strangers." - Ghost Fragment: Human 5**

* * *

Kaedro held up a hand in a 'stop' motion. "Hold on. You want us to _what_?"

Harley held back a sigh. The Exo's response was less than encouraging. "I want to enter the Hellmouth and kill Crota...and I'd like to have you guys with me."

"Point of interest… You barely know us."

Harley shrugged. "I know Rae pretty well, I've met Bazzle before, and I just worked with Fyr and Jade to kill Omnigul... Besides, does it really matter? If we don't kill Crota now, he'll just try again later on. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to let a bit of social awkwardness jeopardize our solar system."

"And you really need _all_ of us?"

"Eris said a normal fireteam wouldn't be enough," said Jade, "But with all of us together, it should be."

"Yeah, uh, I dunno 'bout you, but I never really joined an 'official' fireteam," said Rogue, "Not even with these jokers." He indicated Bazzle, Rae, and Kaedro.

"So? It doesn't matter who joined who. That's all in the past. We've gotta make a new one if we want to stop Crota... So are you guys in or out?"

"I'm in," said Jade. She sounded a bit nervous, but the look she had was full of determination. "...If we don't stop him now, any future deaths he causes will be on us."

Rae sighed. "Outta all the dumbass ideas you've had so far, I think this one might just take the cake, Ace... But for what it's worth, I'm in too."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, well… I guess you're gonna have to owe me one."

"If we pull this off, _everyone_ will owe us one."

Fyr stood up, slapping his hand down on Harley's shoulder. "I've got your back, man." He looked around at the others. "You're gonna need _someone_ with intelligence on this mission."

"Well that rules _you_ out," Rae muttered.

"I resent that!"

Harley glanced back at Fyr, who still had his hand on his shoulder. "Y'know, you can sit down now."

"Oh yeah." Fyr sat back down.

Bazzle spoke up next. "Hayden, I may not know you well, but I am also no fool… Stopping Crota is the only way we can ensure the City's safety."

"Awesome."

There was a short pause. "Well, I guess that leaves me and the K-man here," said Rogue, "I've never been the kinda Guardian to join a fireteam 'cause I don't wanna have to worry about other people... But maybe it's time for me to 'turn over a new leaf'...even if it means joinin' you losers."

Cable sounded shocked. "Now _there's_ something I never thought would happen."

Kaedro sighed. "Looks like that leaves just me then… Well, I think this idea is pretty whacked, but...it might be whacked enough to work. And even if it doesn't, I'm not about to stay in the Tower while all my friends are risking their lives, so...I'm in."

Fyr looked ecstatic. "Hell. Yeah. We're gonna be the greatest team _ever_!" He paused as if he'd just had a brilliant idea. "But...this means we gotta come up with a kickass team _name_!" Almost everyone at the table winced.

"If we must," said Bazze with a sigh.

"Of course we gotta! What kind of team doesn't have a cool name?"

"Ooh! How 'bout 'Death Squad?'" said Rogue.

"Um...no thanks," said Jade.

Rae nodded. "She's right, that's a stupid name." She smirked. "Why don't we call ourselves 'Scared Hitless?' ...It's pretty fitting."

"Rude," said Harley.

"Chill, Ace. I didn't just mean _you_."

"If we want a joke name, we can just ask Fyr," said Kaedro, "...I'm sure he has plenty of ideas."

"You bet your metal ass I do! ...I was thinking 'Buster McThunderstick' or maybe 'The Muffin Men.'"

"The first one's lame," said Rae, "The second one's exclusive _and_ lame."

"Well, I don't hear anyone _else_ coming up with anything good." He shrugged and shot her a pointed look. "Just saying."

Rae narrowed her eyes. "'Just saying'? Well, you can take your 'just saying' and shove it up-"

"The Chasers," said Harley. They fell silent and looked at him in surprise. "Or, y'know, 'Fireteam Chaser.' ...Whatever you guys wanna call it."

"'The Chasers,'" said Kaedro thoughtfully, "...I like it."

"Team names aren't important to me," said Bazzle, "However, since it's not Allerton's idea, I don't have a problem with it."

"How did you come up with it?" asked Jade curiously.

Harley rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "I dunno. I guess it's just...everyone's chasing something, y'know?"

There was some scattered nodding as they lapsed into thoughtful silence. However, it was soon shattered by the sound of someone slow-clapping. "Oh man you guys, Ace just got deep," said Rae, "I might cry." She pretended to wipe away a tear.

"Well it ain't no Death Squad, but I'm down," said Rogue.

Fyr nodded. "Yeah. The Chasers… It's catchy."

Rae rolled her eyes. "Great. Now Allerton's gonna wanna think up a jingle or something."

"Ooh. _Actually-_ "

"No no no!" said Kaedro, "It's gone far enough!"

"So now that we agree on that, we should talk strategy," said Harley, "I'd rather not bust in there without some kinda plan."

"Aww, busting in without a plan is my _favorite_ kind of plan!" said Fyr.

"Hayden's right," said Bazzle, "It would be foolish to go in unprepared... Do we have any idea of what we'll be up against?"

"A Hive-God," said Harley.

"With a frickin' big-ass sword," said Fyr.

"A different dimension," said Jade.

"Wait _what_?" said Kaedro.

"Yeah, we learned a lot from Eris," said Harley. He looked over at Jade. "Do you think you could explain it? You have a better head for this stuff than I do."

"Everyone has a better head than you Ace."

"Shut up."

Jade blushed. "I-I can try." The others looked at her expectantly. "Ok, so we confined Crota to his Throneworld, which is sort of like a 'pocket dimension.' Eris called it an 'Ascendant Realm.' ...If it helps, you can picture it like a small bubble attached to a larger bubble, which is our universe. So when we enter it, we'll be breaking through the barrier that separates the two."

Rogue raised a hand. "So our world's the big bubble and Crota's world's a small bubble that's stuck to the big one?"

"Well, it's actually really nothing like that. But if it helps, then sure... Anyway, the entrance to Crota's Throneworld is the Hellmouth. No one really knows what it's like in his Throneworld, but we do know that he'll be stronger there."

"So we're killing this guy in a place where he's stronger than anywhere else?" Kaedro sighed. "Why did I agree to this again?"

"The Throneworld is the only place where he'd stay dead if we killed him," said Harley, "It's our best option." It was also their _only_ option, though that went unsaid.

" _That's_ reassuring," said Rae.

"We really gonna do this?" asked Rogue.

Harley nodded. "Yes… It's the only way."

"And when's all this gonna go down?" asked Fyr.

"Uh, before I answer that, I want to double-check that you guys really _are_ up for it… There's a good chance we won't come back."

Rae shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Rogue slapped her on the back. "Well, ya know what I say. Certain death missions are the most fun!"

"Not about to argue with that," said Kaedro with a laugh.

"I've already agreed to join you," said Bazzle, "I see no reason why I should change my mind."

"Damn straight!" said Fyr, "We're going out in _style_!"

Jade sighed. "Fyr and I started this so it feels right that we should be there to end it."

"All _right_!" said Harley with a grin, "Sounds like everyone's on board. We fly out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" said Kaedro, "Ok. Guess I should go see Banshee about some heavy ammo synthesis." He rose from his chair. "Anyone else want in?"

"Me!" Fyr jumped up.

"Alright. I guess I'll see the rest of you guys tomorrow then."

Rogue gave a two-fingered salute. "Later, K-man."

After the two Hunters left, Rae got up. "I don't really have anything to do, but I'm not about to sit around in the mess hall with you losers. So see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya."

"Later, Rae," said Harley.

The Warlock made a face at him and was gone soon after. A few minutes later, Rogue stood up. "Well, I gotta go swap out some weapons and stuff, so I'll see y'all tomorrow."

"Goodbye," said Jade.

Rogue nodded at her and made his way out, leaving the three remaining Guardians to sit in silence for a few moments. Then Bazzle rose with a sigh. "I also have...preparations to make. Goodnight Wrythal, Hayden."

"'Night Bazzle," said Harley.

"Goodnight," said Jade. The Titan left.

Harley quickly realized that he and Jade were the only ones left. That made him feel a bit awkward. He'd only met her a couple days ago and they really hadn't interacted much. Jade, for her part, appeared to be equally as uncomfortable as he was. She fiddled with her fingernails and it seemed like she was trying not to meet his gaze. Harley knew if he let the silence last for too long, the awkwardness would only increase. Bearing that in mind, he decided to try starting a conversation. He coughed. "So…"

"Yeah," said Jade, "Um… I liked the name you came up with."

"Oh… Thanks, I guess."

"You're, um, you're welcome."

"So… Where were you revived?"

Jade seemed relieved that he was bringing up something she could actually talk about. "Ishtar Academy… Or its ruins anyway."

Harley was surprised that he actually knew what that was. "Yeah? I've been there. Thought it was a Darkness Zone, though."

Jade furrowed her eyebrows. "Really? When were you there?"

"Maybe a few weeks after I was revived. Why?"

"I guess something must have happened since then because I didn't think Guardians could be revived in Darkness Zones... Why were you there?"

"I, uh, met...someone there."

Jade's tone carried a strange edge to it. "Oh?"

"Yeah. This Exo lady sent me coordinates for the Ishtar Academy... She was the one who warned me about the Black Garden."

Jade looked confused "I haven't seen any female Exos around."

"Oh yeah, no, she left... I don't think she was from here anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"...She did this weird vanishing thing a lot. From the way she talked, I dunno, I kinda thought she might be a time traveler."

"Interesting... And when you met her, it was in a Darkness Zone?"

"Well, I had to fight off a bunch of Vex before I met her. After that, I think it must've been lifted or something."

"The Darkness around it retreated," said Prism.

Jade's eyes went wide. "Wait. That means it was because of _you_ that Fyr and I were revived. If it had still been a Darkness Zone, Delta and Spark never would have been able to see our Light."

Harley felt even more uncomfortable. "Well, um, maybe. But you don't know that for sure. I mean, it could have been the Stranger for all we know. All I did was kill some Vex." He chuckled. "You know, it's funny. Now that I think about it, she was _also_ the reason I went to investigate the Vault." He sighed. "I just wish I could've done something more useful than getting _trapped_ in it."

They fell into silence again. Harley decided now would be an opportune time to spare them both any further awkwardness. He stood up. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Jade." He turned to leave, but she called after him.

"Harley wait." He turned back. Jade looked as though she was searching for the right words. "You're- I don't think you realize how important you are."

Harley felt an odd chill travel down his spine. The statement was eerily similar to what Prism had said the day before. "...What do you mean?"

Jade's face flushed, but she continued. "Well, um, the First Guardians led the survivors here and founded the City. And then over the years, Guardians just got more important and aside from battles here and there, well, no one had any reason to worry that the Guardians might be wiped out... But then the revivals stopped and for six years it's been disappearance after disappearance. I wasn't… I wasn't here before, but I can imagine what it was like... The hope that was lost each passing day. The dread that accompanied it. The fear that maybe the Guardians _would_ go extinct... But when you came, you gave everyone new hope. You killed the Black Garden and you came from a place where there was thought to be no Light left… And now it turns out that you were actually _responsible_ for Fyr and I getting a second chance. But it's not just that. Your arrival gave everyone a future to hope for. A sign that new Guardians might still be found... And when they _are_ found, your story will be an inspiration to them. You will represent everything a Guardian should be. That's why you're so important. And I don't think you fully...appreciate the implications of what you are and where you came from."

Harley was extremely taken aback. _That was probably the most she's said to me since we met._ "I… Wow." He paused for a few moments. "But how can you be sure there'll be new Guardians? Or that they'll even know or care who I am?"

"I'm not sure how I know," she admitted, "But I do not believe the Guardians will end here. We're going to come back from this...somehow. As for why you, well, just trust me... I know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah… What made you say all that, exactly?"

Jade blushed again. "I-I don't know. Uh, I guess I feel like it's something I've wanted to say since I've met...you."

Harley was confused. "We've barely known each other _two_ days."

"I know. But I also sort of knew about you for a while...and all the things that you've done."

" _Jade_!" said Delta, "Now he'll think you were stalking him!"

Jade's eyes widened. "I wasn't! I _swear_ it wasn't stalking!"

Harley chuckled. "I know."

"Anyway, I just wanted to say… Being a Guardian isn't easy. And it's probably ten times harder for _you_. So I, um, just want you to know that I'll be with you every step… Fyr as well."

Harley felt oddly touched. "I...uh...thank you." Jade looked like she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she just nodded. Harley nodded back. "So...I'll see you in the morning, then."

She smiled. "See you in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Jade, it's such a long painful trip to the friendzone. Anyway, our team has a name now: The Chasers. In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Harry Potter fan. There's seven of them and there are seven players in a Quidditch team (4 of which are Chasers btw). Also, you might now notice how clever my series title is. Chasing Fate. Y'know, because Fate = Destiny and their team is called the Chasers? 
> 
> Sorry for the late-ish update, btw. I'll see you guys next time!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	30. Crota's End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Toland tells us that Crota's presence in our world is a shadow. That its true power resides in a netherworld forged by his will. We must pass through a keyhole between realities, navigate the seething midnight of Crota's world-mind, and overthrow the ascendant champions that gather to his throne." - Grimoire of Crota's End**

* * *

 

Harley adjusted his cloak fastening seemingly for the thirty-seventh time. His right foot beat a staccato against the floor of the Wandering Star as he rechecked his hand cannon. He could only remember one other time when he'd felt this anxious... It wasn't when he entered the Vault of Glass, or during his audience with the Awoken Queen, or even when he'd fought the Sol Progenies in the Black Garden. No, the only time he'd felt anything comparable to this was months ago when he'd woken up alone in the sands of Mercury. _Why am I so worried?_ he wondered. _I mean, we're going off to fight a god, but I've done that before._ Then he came to a sudden realization. _It's not because I'm going to fight a god... It's because I won't be fighting it_ alone _._ He knew that it was a bit backward to be _more_ worried when having backup versus being alone, but to him, it felt completely rational. He was leading other people, people that he _knew_ , into almost certain death. _When I killed the Black Garden,_ my _life was the only one at risk._ He didn't know what he'd do if he lost any of them. He'd barely known most of them for more than a couple days and yet they had already won him over.

Just then, Rae's voice broke over the comms. " _Hey, Ace! We gonna fly or was that all just talk?"_

Harley shook himself out of it. "Yeah. Everyone ready?"

" _Sure,"_ said Kaedro, " _Not like I didn't know what I signed up for."_

" _Yeah! Let's show those green-eyed freaks who's boss!"_ said Rogue.

Harley sighed. "Alright. Jumping to warp space." He pulled a lever, sending his ship hurtling towards the Moon. _It's weird to think this'll be my first time seeing it…_

As he was transmatted down, he surveyed the lunar landscape. From what he could see, it was all craggy peaks and flat grey plains. The lunar colony buildings were the only signs of habitation that he could see. He shivered. "This place kinda reminds me of Mercury. Just, y'know, grayer. And colder."

"At least there aren't any Vex here," said Prism.

"Really?"

"Yep. They might be almost everywhere else in the system, but not on the Moon."

"So what _is_ here?"

"The Hive, mostly. The City gave up the Moon after Mare Imbrium and since then, they've only continued to spread... Them and the Fallen House of Exile."

"So the Fallen are here too, huh?"

"Unfortunately."

Harley heard faint _zaps_ and turned around as everyone else transmatted in behind him. "Back on the Moon again!" said Fyr.

"I'll be glad when we're finished with this place," said Jade.

"Let's get moving," said Bazzle, "The sooner we end this, the better. Grab your Sparrows."

Harley watched as they all summoned their respective vehicles. "I, uh, don't have my Sparrow," he said.

Fyr shot him a confused look. "Why?"

"I've never been to the Moon before now, so I've never linked to the grid here."

"What? But you fought Omnigul with- oh wait that was Earth. Duh."

"No problem," said Kaedro, "You can link up in the base over that hill. It shouldn't take too long."

Indeed it didn't. Only a few minutes had passed before the group was speeding towards the Hellmouth. They rounded a bend and Harley's mouth fell open. It was his first time seeing it but he could tell with all certainty that 'Hellmouth' was the only way it could be described. No other words would even come close. It was a gaping maw in the Moon's surface, monstrous in circumference, seemingly infinite in depth. He dismounted his Sparrow, hearing the others do the same, and took a few hesitant steps down towards the pit. A small circular platform jutted out, pitiful in comparison with the abyss below it. He cautiously stepped onto it, peering over the edge. Words escaped him. All he could do was stare down into the deep darkness and the mist that shrouded it.

"He waits in the dark below..."

Harley turned to find Jade standing at his left shoulder. "What?"

She sounded troubled. "It's something I heard Eris say."

"You sound like Spark," said Fyr, "We only need _one_ wet blanket on this mission thank you."

"Can it," said Rae shortly as she stepped past them, "Let's get this over with."

The others stepped onto the platform. "Anyone know what we're supposed to do now?" asked Kaedro. Suddenly there was a flash as a circular sigil lit up beneath them. "Holy-!"

"I hope that was good," said Fyr, "Cause it didn't look good."

Harley watched, astonished, as a ghostly bridge gradually faded into existence in front of them. Another platform appeared at the end. "Well it's _something_ at least." He started forward, stepping tentatively onto the bridge. "It's solid!"

They walked along it to the end and found themselves suspended directly over the center of the Hellmouth. In the middle of the platform was a hole wide enough for three Guardians to fit comfortably through. "I have this awful feeling that we're gonna have to jump," said Kaedro.

Harley peered over the edge. "I can't see anything."

"I ain't about to get killed by some stupid hole in the ground," said Rogue.

"...I'll go first," said Bazzle, "This is clearly the way we must go if we wish to enter."

"Right behind you, Baz," said Rae.

The Titan nodded and stepped forward, plunging into darkness. A few seconds later, he was followed by Rae. Then Kaedro went. Then Rogue.

"Alright," said Harley, "Guess it's my turn." He turned to Jade and Fyr. "See you two down there." Taking a deep breath, he stepped off the platform. He felt the air rushing past him as he fell and he heard the whisper of it hissing in his ears, but he could see nothing. He wasn't sure how long he fell, but it felt like ages. Constant darkness and the never-ending whoosh of air... Then all of a sudden, he looked down and the ground was rushing up to meet him. "Oh shi-"

 _Slam!_ He barely refrained from screaming as his legs crumpled beneath him. He tried to move and groaned. _Definitely broken. Feels like a lot._ "Prism, could you…?"

"On it." She materialized in front of him, repairing the damage.

Harley sighed in relief and stood up. "Thanks… How come you didn't do that on Mars when I broke my leg?"

"I could have, but the Light would have restored it anyway. Here, there's no chance of that and you need your legs if you want to fight Crota."

"Don't be such a baby, Ace," said Rae, "We all went through it."

As if to prove her point, Jade fell out of nowhere, meeting the same landing as Harley had. After Delta had restored her Guardian, Harley helped her up. "Rough landing, huh?"

"Rough doesn't _begin_ to describe it."

He laughed. "Where's Fyr?"

"He should be here any second. I just hope he didn't try anything-" _Crash!_

"Guardian down," said Spark. Harley and Jade whirled around to find Fyr lying face up in the middle of the floor. One look and Harley could tell he was most definitely dead. Spark appeared above him with a sigh. "Could one of you please assist me with this idiot of a Guardian?"

Jade stepped forward, also sighing. "I'll do it." Harley watched in fascination as Spark transferred some of her Light into Fyr. The Hunter's body glowed for a moment, forcing Harley to look away. The Light was excruciating to eyes that had grown accustomed to the darkness. When the glow faded, Fyr got up. "Woo! Let's do that again!"

"Let's not," said Kaedro.

"Yes," said Bazzle, "There is no room for antics on this mission."

Fyr sighed in disappointment. "...Fine _._ "

Harley looked around. They were ringed with darkness on all sides. The only source of light came from a few yellow lanterns that were planted around the circle. A path stretched away between two slanting rocks into the gloom. He pointed toward it. "Let's go."

They moved forward warily, guns drawn until they came to a second clearing with a faintly-glowing structure in the middle. From all around them sprung the green glowing eyes of the Hive. Harley heard their shrieks split the air. A crowd of Thrall rushed toward them but were easily taken out due to the sheer number of people shooting.

"We got a problem Ace!" said Rae as she shot down Acolytes.

"What is it?"

"I can't move down here!"

"Same here!" said Jade, "I can't jump and it's really hard to run! It's like we're being suppressed!"

"It's the Darkness!" said Prism, "It's weighing you down! Get to that lantern!"

They pressed forward into the circle. As they entered, the lantern's glow got brighter, giving off a harsh white light. They continued clearing out the Hive that tried to interfere. Harley felt his movements become easier as a weight he had been unaware of was lifted from him. Kaedro echoed his thoughts. "It's helping! The lantern's working!"

But then Bazzle's Ghost - Sway - cried out a warning. "The temperature is rising! It's becoming unstable!"

Harley looked. Sure enough, the lantern's light was turning from bright white to a dangerous shade of orange. "Move!" They ran down the path and soon came upon another lantern. This time, they were swarmed by even more enemies.

"Everyone stand back!" Rae shouted.

Harley moved away, still shooting down Cursed Thrall. Rae slung her auto rifle across her back and took a deep breath, centering herself. All of a sudden, a shockwave of Arc energy was released, causing the ground to tremble beneath her. _She activated Stormtrance!_ Harley had never seen her use it before and it was truly something to behold. Her entire body crackled with lightning and her feet lifted from the floor. She glided forward, unleashing bolts of lightning that arced from one enemy to the next, frying them all into ash.

"Lantern's gonna blow!" yelled Rogue.

They sprinted away down the path, Rae electrocuting Hive as she went. "Watch out for holes in the path!" yelled Bazzle. Harley looked around and saw he was right. Circular pits were scattered around the path, waiting to send the unwary Guardian to a sudden death. At the next lantern, they were hit by yet another horde. Harley went into a Bladedancer's Trance and cleared the way for them. The next lantern was up a short incline, made even harder by the weight of the darkness pressing down on them. After that, there was another lantern. And then another. It felt like eternity, an endless purgatory where the only thing they could do was run to the next lantern and kill more enemies.

About thirteen lanterns in, they faced one of the worst swarms yet. Thrall and Acolytes were everywhere and this time Harley even saw a Knight. Most of them were grouped around the lantern that had blown up moments before, but Jade, who'd been bringing up the rear, was still fighting her way toward them as they frantically worked to clear a path for her. Harley saw more Thrall running in from the sides. "Jade! Watch out!"

There was nothing they could do. The Thrall fell upon her, clawing and screeching. Eventually, they couldn't see her at all. All of a sudden, Delta's voice rose above the clamor of the Hive. "Guardian down!"

"Jade!" yelled Fyr in alarm.

"Wrythal!" yelled Bazzle.

Rogue threw a grenade, clearing out the Thrall. Jade's body lay on the ground unmoving. "Jade!" Harley yelled. He looked at Bazzle. "We have to revive her!"

"'Nother wave comin'!" yelled Rogue. Bazzle turned back to shooting.

"We can't leave her here!"

"We won't leave her, Hayden! But we cannot get to her now!"

Just then, a bright glow pierced the darkness. Harley looked around for the source and was met with the sight of Jade rising from the ground, wreathed in Solar energy with fiery wings that sprouted from her back. He watched in amazement as she threw grenade after grenade, creating a blazing barrier between them and the Hive.

"Oh my Belgian waffles!" yelled Fyr, "What the holy hell was that?!"

"She self-resurrected!" said Delta, "She's harnessed the ability of the Fireborn!"

"Keep going!" said Bazzle, "This is no place to stop!"

They continued onward, fighting off the Hive. "Are we sure we aren't just going in circles?" said Fyr.

"The terrain is completely different, idiot," said Rae.

After a few more lanterns, they came across another sigil in the ground. "I think we made it through!" said Harley.

"Maybe, but they're _still_ coming!" said Kaedro. More Thrall rushed out of the darkness.

"I got Knights over here!" yelled Rogue.

"Ogre!" yelled Jade.

"Crap!" Harley whirled to fire at the Ogre.

"Korrin, Allerton, assist Rogue!" said Bazzle, "Kaedro and I will help Hayden and Wrythal." They managed to take out the Ogre with their combined fire and helped keep the Thrall away from the others as they dealt with the Knights.

"The bridge is up!" said Kaedro, "Let's go!"

They ran onto the bridge. Harley's body became lighter, his steps easier as the burden of the darkness was lifted. He was about halfway across the bridge, when something grabbed his ankle, causing him to fall. He flipped over and saw a Thrall pulling itself onto the bridge. In a panicked, rushed movement, he pulled his knife and stabbed it in the skull. Just then, six more crawled up onto the bridge, screeching as they ran toward him. From somewhere behind him, he heard Rogue call out. "Hayden's down!" The Thrall came closer. He readied his knife. Suddenly, he felt someone grab him by the neck of his cloak and haul him away from the Thrall before jerking him to his feet and spinning him around. It was Rogue. "Time to move, kid!"

Together, they ran the rest of the way across the bridge, where the others were fending off more enemies. Once they were all dead, the Chasers continued forward. Harley looked around and saw they were now in a large hallway, with short stone pillars that dotted the floor. The opposite end was lit with a light so bright that Harley couldn't tell what lay beyond. It almost seemed like the very air was glowing. They ran towards it and before too long, they passed into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are. The beginning of the end. We're down to the last few chapters, my dudes. I hope you're excited. If any of you are interested in writing stories involving these characters, you are more than welcome. All you gotta do is PM me. Also PM or leave a comment if you want to suggest ideas for future stories/oneshots/etc. I'm always looking for more ideas.
> 
> Until the next chapter!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	31. The Bearers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Toland speaks—he hardly seems mad, at times—of the terrible things that await us. A secret song he hungers to learn, and the issue of that song, an ashen burning star-husk that looms above, the utter antithesis of life. He talks of it with a curious ambition I do not want to understand." - Grimoire of Crota's End**

* * *

Fyr blinked as the darkness dissipated. When he saw where they'd ended up, he almost dropped his gun. "Holy freakin shit!" It was like a completely different world. _Of course it looks different, stupid. Jade_ said _it was another dimension._ The sky seemed to be stuck in the garb of twilight. A dark fortress floated across from them, suspended in empty space. Fyr could make out a pair of great doors with a single rune above them, glowing with a green light. To the left of the fortress floated a giant orb that reminded Fyr distantly of the Traveler. However, it was broken into pieces of dark stone that swirled around a black center surrounded by green fire. _It looks like a giant eyeball... Gross._

"Down there," said Harley.

Fyr looked where he was pointing and saw a staircase to their left that led down. Bazzle and Rae started down it. He fell in behind them. They crossed down the center and saw another circular platform at the end. " _Another_ circle?" Fyr complained, "Can't they come up with a different shape?"

Rae laughed. "Yeah. I wanna see a _dodecahedron_ for crying out loud."

Bazzle ignored them, "Another bridge."

"That ain't all, Baz," said Rogue, "There're two more of 'em. One on each side... What's the play?"

"Zone Control," said Kaedro. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What?" said Harley.

Rogue chuckled. "It's a game in the Crucible. There're three zones and the teams gotta try and capture 'em."

"Well if there are three, that means two of us on either side and three in the middle," said Jade.

Rae shrugged. "Works for me."

Bazzle nodded. "I will be in the middle. Hayden and Korrin will be with me. Kaedro and Rogue will take right. Wrythal, Allerton, you'll take left."

"Gotcha," said Kaedro.

"Let's go, K-man," said Rogue.

The others moved to their respective platforms. Fyr followed Jade over to the left side. In the center of the platform hovered a strange pillar thing, shining with a red light. Thrall were grouped around the platform, which they easily took out. " _Guys, our totem stopped glowing!"_ said Kaedro, " _Did yours do the same thing?"_

Fyr looked at the one that floated behind him. The light it was emitting was growing brighter and more violent. " _No_! What do we do?!"

"It might be like the entrance to the Vault of Glass!" said Jade, "I think we might _all_ have to stand on them! ...What happens if you guys step off of the center?" There was a moment's pause and Fyr saw the glow begin to fade. "The middle must activate the totems!" said Jade.

" _Well, they seem like something that's going to kill us if they're lit long enough,"_ said Harley, " _Kinda like those lanterns… So what the hell are we supposed to do?"_

"Like Jade said, maybe we gotta stand on _all_ the platforms," suggested Fyr, "We weren't on ours last time."

" _Let's try it,"_ said Kaedro.

There was a moment's pause as everyone positioned themselves. This time, the totem glowed but did not turn red. "It worked!" said Fyr in surprise.

" _Thrall are coming,"_ said Bazzle, " _Be on guard!"_

Jade and Fyr worked to repel the Thrall that rushed at their platform. " _Oh shit!"_ said Harley, " _A huge Knight just arrived!"_

Fyr looked over and saw Harley and Rae focusing their fire on a big Knight with a sword. When the Knight was dead, it's sword was left floating above the floor. "I think you gotta grab it, man!"

" _How do you know it won't kill me or something?"_

"Trust me, dude. Jade and I went on a mission where I had to use Crota's sword."

Harley groaned. " _If this kills me…"_

_"Oh just shut up and grab the sword Ace!"_

Fyr saw Harley pick up the sword. " _So far so good... What now?"_

 _"Well we gotta cross that bridge right?"_ said Rogue.

"But we still need people to hold the platforms!" said Jade.

" _I'll hold this one!"_ said Bazzle, " _Hayden, Korrin, go!"_

Harley and Rae ran for the bridge. Harley stepped onto it with no difficulty, but as soon as Rae set foot on it, she collapsed. " _Guardian down!"_ yelled Shard.

" _I'll get her!"_ said Harley.

"Fyr! A little help would be nice!" Fyr turned back to help Jade with the Hive.

" _Not about to try_ that _again,"_ said Rae, " _Looks like only the person with the sword can cross... Move it or lose it, Ace."_

Fyr saw Harley sprinting across the bridge with the sword in hand. " _Shit! There's another sword Knight on_ this _side!"_

Kaedro spoke up. " _I'd help you, man, but I can't cross the bridge."_

"There's another swordbearer!" said Jade.

" _Dibs!"_ said Rae. She and Bazzle killed the Knight. Then she took the sword and headed across the bridge as well.

" _How the hell're we all supposed to cross?!"_ said Rogue, " _There ain't gonna be enough of us to hold the zones!"_

" _There're platforms on this side!"_ said Harley, " _We just need to get three people across!"_

"I call next!" said Fyr. He looked at Jade. "Can you hold this?"

"I'll be fine. Go!"

Fyr crossed to the middle platform where Bazzle was shooting down more Hive. Fyr saw another swordbearer heading for them. He chucked his grenade at it and snagged the sword it dropped. "Hell yeah! Sword Fyr is back baby!" He sprinted across the bridge and helped Harley and Rae deal with the Hive on that side. Then he moved to the platform across from his previous one.

" _Ok!"_ said Harley, " _You guys can start crossing now!"_

Rogue was the next one across, soon followed by Kaedro. With them there, it was a lot easier to clear out the enemies. Jade came across next and Bazzle brought up the rear. " _Guys, we should group up!"_ said Harley.

"Coming!" Fyr made for the middle, where everyone else was soon gathered. Two Knights entered with rockets and Acolytes. However, seven Guardians with swords proved to be more than a match for them.

"We got more sword-Knights!" said Rogue. They fell upon them. Soon, there were none left. Another wave entered and was defeated before they could move on. The swords vanished and the doors at the top of the staircase began to open.

"Oh boy," said Fyr.

"Up we go," said Kaedro. They entered a dark circular chamber with a hallway leading off to the left.

"We've got Thrall!" yelled Harley.

"Got it!" Rae shouted back. She activated Stormtrance again and they followed her down the hall as she cleared the way.

"Shriekers!" said Jade.

Fyr looked up. Sure enough, she was right. He and Kaedro took out the first one and he saw a barrier disappear. "Yo! They're blocking our path!"

"Korrin will take care of the Thrall," said Bazzle as they pushed forward, "When she's done, Hayden will take his turn. The rest of us must target the Shriekers!" They kept moving, shooting down Shriekers as they went.

"Don't think I'll be needing your help, Ace," said Rae, "Looks like we've reached the end." A huge pit sat in the middle of their path, almost taking up the whole floor.

Fyr peered over. "Think we gotta jump down again?"

"I'd put _my_ money on it," said Rogue.

"It doesn't look very deep," said Jade.

"Let's go," said Harley. He jumped down, Fyr right behind him. They landed in the middle of another circular chamber with only one hallway leading out.

"Looks like our path has been chosen for us," said Kaedro.

Fyr looked around and saw piles of bones littering the edges of the room. "Hope we do better than _those_ guys." They headed down the hallway, which soon opened up into a large courtyard type thing. A bunch of Knights were waiting for them. Fyr threw his grenade and sent them flying.

"More are coming!" said Bazzle, "Be ready!"

"There's some up on the walkways," said Harley, "Kay, you wanna get those with me?"

Kaedro looked a little surprised that Harley was already using his nickname, but shook it off. "Sure."

"There's Knights on both sides," said Jade, "In the towers. We should have one group go left and another go right."

"Ace and I can go right," said Kaedro. He looked at Fyr, "You and Rogue wanna go left?"

Fyr nodded. "Sounds good, let's roll!"

"Korrin and I will take this level," said Bazzle, "Good luck."

Fyr and Rogue jumped up to the left tower. Rogue engaged the Knight and wasted no time in taking it out. Fyr looked down. "More guys just came out below!" They jumped down and intercepted the other Hive. Fyr glanced into the chamber where they'd appeared from. Down a short hallway, he could see another chamber with a giant crystal inside. _Looks important._ Just then, a Wizard appeared outside of the crystal chamber. "Huh. It _is_ important... Rogue! More stuff to kill!" The Titan followed him in. Together, they killed the Wizard. Then a Shrieker opened above them, sending purple blasts their way. "Ace, you guys seeing a Wizard on your side?"

" _Wizard? Where?"_

"Inside where those Acolytes came from!"

There was a moment of silence before he responded. " _Yeah, we found it. Killing it now… Nice one Kay!"_

_"Shrieker up there!"_

Rogue shot down the Shrieker on their side with his shotgun. As soon as it was dead, the weird barrier that had been cutting them off from the room dropped. They entered and found yet another Wizard. Fyr started shooting, dodging her blasts as best he could. "Ace, man are you in here? There's a weird-looking Wizard! Like Omniguls ugly stepsister or something."

" _I didn't think anything could get uglier than Omnigul… Ok, we're through!"_ Harley and Kaedro ran in from the other side.

"Damn!" said Rogue, firing off more shots, "She's real hard to kill!"

" _Wait!"_ said Bazzle, " _Did you say there was a Wizard in there?"_

"Yeah!" said Fyr, "A hella powerful one!"

Bazzle cursed. " _That is not just any Wizard. It's Ir Yut, the Deathsinger!"_

"Ir Who the _What_?"

" _Her song is fatal!"_ said Jyn, " _You must kill her and fast!"_

" _We're coming to you!"_ said Bazzle.

Fyr drew on the Light and summoned his Golden Gun. Aiming it carefully at Ir Yut's head, he blew her away with three quick shots. Not a second after he killed her, Bazzle and Rae joined them.

Rae sounded mildly impressed. "You got her… Maybe you're not as lame as I thought, Allerton."

"Hell yeah I'm not," said Fyr, "You're looking at the greatest Hive-slayer there ever was!"

Harley's tone was grim as he replied. "Unfortunately we're not done yet… After all, we still have a god to kill."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all are enjoying my rendition of the raid. I gotta say...I haven't really enjoyed writing it. Raids are a pain in the ass to write. Anyway, sorry for how late this is. I was super busy today, just lucky enough to get in a heroic strike and an Iron Banner match before I had to be somewhere. On a completely different subject, I recently bought Borderlands 2 and Borderlands the Pre-Sequel, so I'm slowly working my way through that. I've already played Tales From the Borderlands and I do believe I have a new obsession.
> 
> Laterz!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	32. God Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"He hides in the dark below: the monster of Luna, the titanic god-Knight who walked the regolith beneath a sky of green fire and butchered the greatest army of Guardians ever assembled. We abandoned the Moon rather than face him." - Grimoire of Crota, Son of Oryx**

* * *

Harley waited as his friends reloaded their weapons and checked their armor. _I can't believe how well we've been working together. And to think we've known each other for such a short amount of time._ He looked around the chamber. Currently, there were no enemies attacking them. Harley wanted to see that as a good sign, but he was almost certain that this was the calm before the storm. _I have a horrible feeling that even though we made it through those lanterns and Knights, we haven't seen anything yet._ He jumped as the chamber was suddenly sealed off with a transparent barrier.

"What the hell?" said Kaedro.

Jade moved forward to look down one of the halls. "The Hive are coming!" Harley crossed over to look. Sure enough, several Knights and dozens of Acolytes were waiting just beyond the barrier.

"That ain't the worst of it," said Rogue. Harley turned and saw that the Titan was staring out across the courtyard. With building apprehension, he moved to look. Standing at the opposite end, in front of the giant thing that looked like an eye, was Crota himself. The god was easily bigger than a Vex Gate Lord and the dark blade he wielded looked almost as long as Harley was tall. His armor was dark and spiky and his eyes glowed with a blue light. Harley felt a chill just looking at him.

"We'll kill the Knights and Acolytes first," he said, "When they're dead… I dunno... We'll come up with something."

All at once, the barrier dropped. Harley pulled his hand cannon and hurled his grenade into the Hive on his side. Bazzle was shooting next to him, as was Jade. Kaedro, Fyr, Rogue, and Rae were left to the other side. Harley couldn't see any of what they were doing, but he could hear gunfire and explosions and occasional instructions being called out. In his distraction, his side was grazed with a shot from an Acolyte. He cursed and shot it down before turning his gun on a sword Knight that was getting too close for comfort. Once it was dead, his Ghost spoke up. "We have a problem..."

"Oh great. What is it _now_?"

"Your body isn't repairing itself!"

"Well, yeah, we're in a Darkness Zone."

"No. Even then, your Light can heal you, albeit slowly. I'm telling you that _nothing's_ happening!"

"Must be something Crota's doing," said Harley, "It's fine. I've had worse."

Prism didn't sound happy. "Very well, but you should warn the others at least."

"Good idea… Hey guys! Just a heads up, Prism says that our healing's been taken away. Any injuries you get, you're stuck with till we kill Crota!"

A bunch of groans greeted his words. "Wonderful," said Rae, "We're clear on this side, by the way."

Jade shot down the last Knight with her fusion. "Yeah, we're clear here too," said Harley.

"Ok, so how do we kill this guy?" asked Kaedro.

"Uhh, from a safe distance?" said Fyr.

Harley nodded. "Good point... We don't want to get too close to that sword. We can stand on the platforms outside the towers and focus fire on him."

Rae snorted. "You're making it sound like it's gonna be _easy_ , Ace."

Harley shrugged. "It's all I've got."

"Whatever. Let's do this." They split off, staying in the same groups.

"Knights on the balconies!" said Jade. Harley grabbed his sniper rifle and took out the one on their side.

" _Got him!"_ said Fyr.

"Ours is down too!" said Harley.

" _Sword Knight in mid!"_ yelled Rogue.

Harley looked down and saw the Knight, as well as a bunch of other Hive. He turned to Jade and Bazzle. "I'm going after the sword Knight... You guys focus on the others."

" _Harley's going down there,"_ said Jade, " _One of you needs to come over here!"_

" _Coming!"_ said Kaedro.

Harley nodded before jumping down and running across to the Knight. The others did their jobs well. He only had to deal with a few Thrall on his way. He engaged the sword Knight and took it down with a few well-aimed shots to the head. It dropped the sword, which hovered above the ground. "Guess I have to pick it up again…" He grabbed the sword. "...What now?" Just then, Crota shot at him with blasts of dark energy. He ducked out of the way with a curse. "Guys, focus your shots on Crota! We gotta keep him distracted… I think I know what this sword is for."

" _Switch to heavy weapons!"_ said Bazzle. There was a brief pause in the firing as everyone switched out. Then they resumed shooting. Harley watched as Crota was hit with rocket after rocket. The god staggered and dropped into a kneeling position. Harley knew this was his best chance. He leaped onto the upper level and hit Crota twice with an overhead blow. Harley retreated as Crota got back up, his armor glowing with a crackling orange energy. Crota raised his sword to the sky and the ground shook with a _crash_ as the orb that was floating in the sky expanded in a flash of white.

" _What the swiss cheese just happened?!"_ yelled Fyr.

" _Crota called on his Oversoul!"_ said Jade.

" _What is that and how do_ you _know?!"_

 _"Eris told me! We have to shoot it!"_ There was a flash as Kaedro activated Golden Gun. Everyone else was aiming upwards. With yet another ground-quaking _crash_ , the orb collapsed back into the way it had looked before.

" _Refocus!"_ said Bazzle. They switched back to shooting at Crota, sending him back into a kneel. Harley rushed forward to hit him again, only this time, after he struck, the sword vanished. Harley pulled back to help his teammates shoot at the Oversoul when it expanded again.

Kaedro called out a warning. " _Crota's moving towards the right side!"_

" _Everyone get back to the crystal room!"_ said Bazzle. Harley jumped up onto the platform and followed Jade inside. When they were all gathered inside the chamber, they reloaded their weapons, passing around heavy ammo synthesis to those who didn't have it. Crota stood on the right platform for a minute or so before moving back to where he'd been before. Everyone hurried to resume their positions.

" _Knights in the towers!"_ said Kaedro.

" _Swordbearer in the middle!"_ said Jade.

Harley looked. Another sword Knight had appeared in the courtyard, surrounded by a bunch of Hive. " _I'll clear 'em out!"_ said Rogue. Harley saw the Titan take a running start and leap off his platform into the air. He impacted the ground in the center of the Hive with a powerful _slam_ , inciting a shockwave of Arc energy that killed them all, including the Knight. Harley jumped down and grabbed the sword, Rogue retreated to his group, and they repeated the previous cycle of damage. This time, Crota went to the left side and as they were moving back out, Harley heard two angry bellows echo from beneath the towers. He ran into one of them and came face to face with an Ogre. "Shit!" He backpedaled frantically and ducked behind a pillar, barely managing to avoid it's optic beam. "Ogres in the towers!"

" _I'm coming over there,"_ said Rae. A few seconds later, she entered the room, crackling with Arc energy. She directed a stream of lighting at the Ogre. Harley shot at it, hoping to help her out. It died just as Rae's lightning faded. "Phew..." she said, "Don't know how much more I can do that."

" _Got the other one!"_ said Kaedro.

" _Knights are back!"_ said Jade, " _Kaedro, we're under heavy fire out here!"_ Harley ran out of the tower just in time to see Bazzle throw out his arms, summoning a bubble of Void energy. " _Thanks, Bazzle,"_ said Jade.

Harley saw Kaedro jump back up to them as Rae got to her side. " _Knights are down!"_ said Kaedro, " _Swordbearer's back in mid!"_

Harley activated his Arc Blade, slicing through the Thrall and Acolytes like they weren't there. He took down the Bearer and picked up the sword once more to damage Crota. After the sword disappeared again, he moved back to shoot at the Oversoul. Then they retreated to the crystal again. The next time he picked up the sword, more Ogres spawned. This time it was Jade and Fyr who took them down. Harley grabbed the sword and landed two more hits. He jumped off the platform as Crota got up and summoned the Oversoul. But this time after they shot it down, Crota resummoned it just as fast.

" _What's going on?!"_ said Jade.

" _Does this mean he's about to die?"_ said Fyr hopefully.

They shot down the Oversoul again and Crota brought it back. "This isn't working!" said Harley, "Keep your shots focused on Crota!"

" _You sure?"_ said Kaedro.

"He's never done this before! Every other time, we were able to hit him with the sword!"

" _Ace is right,"_ said Rae, " _If he keeps summoning it, it could mean he's getting desperate! ...Focus fire on Crota!"_

Crota went down after a few seconds of heavy fire, allowing Harley to use the sword again. After the orange energy around Crota disappeared, they shot at him again. The Oversoul was still expanded and Harley was sure he'd doomed them all when Crota stumbled and let out a bellow of rage, crumbing to dust. The Oversoul collapsed and the world turned still and silent. "Holy shit…" said Fyr, "D-did we just…?"

The sword faded from Harley's grasp, and he sank to his knees. ... _Did we really just kill Crota?_

"I-I don't believe it," said Jade, "It's over..."

Bazzle nodded. "We have won the City a great victory today."

"Good _goddamn_ job, guys!" said Rogue. He chuckled. "Can't wait till the Vanguard hear _this_ one!"

Harley listened to them chatter on, still kneeling on the dark stone. _We just killed a Hive god… He's really dead… Killing the Black Garden's Heart was one thing, but this…_ "Harley?" He looked up and saw that his friends were watching him. With a cough, he rose to his feet and brushed off some of the dust that coated his armor. "I guess we should head back now… I don't suppose the ships can be summoned from here?"

"Unfortunately not," said Prism, "This _is_ another dimension after all."

Rogue groaned. "So you're tellin' me we gotta walk back through that dark hole 'n crap? Man, what a way to kill the mood."

"Maybe all the Hive will be dead," said Fyr. There were even more groans at this.

"Are you kidding me Allerton?" said Rae, "Do you _know_ what a jinx _is_?"

Kaedro sighed. "Someone better knock on wood...oh wait."

"Ah, well...let's get going then," said Harley, "Jinx or no jinx, we still gotta get out of here… Unless you guys _want_ to stay?"

"Nope, we're right behind ya," said Rogue. Harley nodded and with that, the group began the long journey back through Crota's fortress.

Luckily, Fyr's jinx didn't seem to affect them and they made it all the way back to the opening of the Hellmouth without undue difficulty. "Uh, so how're we planning to get back up?" asked Kaedro.

Jade frowned. "Good point. We _are_ at the entrance though, so our ships might be able to get us."

Harley sighed. "We'll just have to hope that the signal is strong enough to get through… Prism, could you call the ship?"

"It's on its way... Also, you're welcome… Even though I didn't hear a 'please' or 'thank you.'"

Shard gave a heavy sigh. "Guardians… What an ungrateful bunch they are."

"Careful Shard, or my 'ungrateful' ass is gonna deactivate you," said Rae.

"Do it. You won't." Harley laughed at Rae as she narrowed her eyes at her Ghost.

"Empty threat," said Jyn, "Without Ghosts, you Guardians wouldn't be able to come back to life."

"Can it, Jyn."

"Raedryon!" the Ghost chided jokingly, "How long have we known each other? I've helped you and Kay out of way too many situations to be spoken to like that."

Rae bristled at the use of her full name. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes, I have. Remember when you two were in that abandoned factory in the Rocketyard and-"

"Ookay," said Kaedro with a chuckle, "Thanks but I'd rather not be reminded of that particular...adventure."

Fyr laughed and Spark turned to look at him pointedly. He held up his hands. "I didn't say anything!"

"Hmph. Wise of you. After all, I have more than enough stories about _you_."

Bazzle chuckled and looked at his Ghost. "I'm glad I haven't gotten on _your_ bad side."

"I should think so," said Sway, "After all, we've been partners for a _long_ time."

Kaedro coughed. Bazzle shot him a sharp look. "I would think carefully on your next words, Kaedro."

"What? No! I would never _think_ of gossiping about you, Baz." He dropped his voice to a mutter. "...Not in hearing distance, anyway."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" He looked at his wrist interface. "Oh look, my ship's here! Jyn, transmat please." He vanished.

Rogue laughed. "Kay always had a good head for when to amscray outta a situation... S'why he's our tactician."

"Yes, when he is not _otherwise_ occupied," said Bazzle.

"The ship is within range," said Sway, "Transmat imminent." Bazzle vanished.

Rogue sighed. "Well, I'll see y'all back in the world. Cable?"

"Transmatting." Rogue vanished.

"Typical," said Rae, "Leaving me here with you clowns… I gotta say though, you guys didn't do half-bad."

Harley clasped a hand to his chest dramatically. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me!"

"Yeah, well don't let it go to your head, Ace… Shard? We good to go?"

"Yep." She vanished.

"Hey look!" said Fyr, gesturing to the three of them, "It's the A-Team!"

Harley snorted. "Pretty sure the 'A-Team' just left."

Fyr shrugged. "It's cool. I'm down with being the B-Team. B stands for 'Best Around.'"

"Our ship is here," said Spark, "I suggest we transmat before you somehow make an even bigger fool out of yourself."

"Sure." He pointed at Harley. "See ya back at the Tower, man."

"Bye." Fyr vanished and Harley realized he was left with just Jade, which gave him major deja vu.

"...Good job with the, um, leading," said Jade, "...I thought you handled it well."

"Oh… Thanks. Yeah. I pretty much had no idea what I was doing."

Jade shrugged. "Do any of us?"

"Well, I'm thinking the A-Team does."

Jade laughed but then sobered up suddenly. "I wonder what's going to happen now that Crota isn't a problem anymore?"

Harley shrugged. "Well, there's still a lot of other stuff out there. Fallen...Vex...Cabal…"

Jade quirked an eyebrow. "Cabal?"

"Yeah, they tend to stick to Mars. I only met them cause that's where the Black Garden was."

"Really? I figured Venus..."

"I can see why… Still, though, it's not like we're gonna run out of stuff to do."

"Yeah…"

"Jade? Are you ready?" asked Delta.

"Ready for what?"

"Transmat!"

"Oh, yeah… I'm ready."

"See you in a few," said Harley.

"Yeah. See you." She vanished.

Harley sighed. "Well, looks like that leaves just you and me, Prism."

"Yep… Not for long, though. The Star just came within range."

"Alright, then. Let's get out of here. I'm ready to go home."

"Initiating transmat…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, am I glad that's over with. Translating raids into writing is so annoying. I hope you guys liked it though. I can't believe there's only one chapter left! Are y'all ready for the story to end? I'm sure not. Still though, at least there's a lot more coming. The third story, the oneshots, and any little things I want to throw in. 
> 
> If you guys want to be notified when any of the above start coming out, be sure to follow me. And if you want to hear updates outside of this site, you can follow me on Twitter: ArcaneGlitch.
> 
> See you in the final chapter!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


	33. Dark Horizons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled.” ...A tale of teammates and friendship.

**"Hear me, O waning stars, O tattered rags of Sky —**

**I will stopper up this tearing gulf**

**With vengeance."**

**\- Grimoire of Oryx, the Taken King**

* * *

Harley sighed as he crossed the Hangar, removing his helmet. _It's good to be back._ He had nearly reached the door when he was hailed by Amanda.

"Hold up there, Ace! I've got somethin' for ya." He turned as she jogged over to meet him. "Your friends left this for when you got here." She passed him a small piece of paper.

He frowned in confusion but proceeded to read it. "...'Dear Ace, none of us wanted to give the mission report, so you get to do it. Happy Birthday - Rae.'" Harley groaned. "Great… Well, I guess I'll see you later, Amanda. Looks like I have a report to give…" He heard the Shipwright chuckle as he stalked out. "I can't believe it!" he complained to his Ghost as he crossed the plaza. "This has Rae written all over it!"

"Well, she _did_ sign it," said Prism, "So you're not _wrong_..."

"I _know_ that!" He sighed. "Hopefully this won't take too long..." Upon entering the room, he was surprised to find Eris absent. _Huh. Kinda figured she'd wanna be here for this... Whatever, it doesn't matter now._

"Hey! Man of the hour!" said Cayde, "I hope it's good news ya brought 'cause I won't be able to save you from Eris if it ain't."

"Well, I'm glad to tell you it is, then," said Harley.

Zavala and Ikora looked impressed. "Then Crota's reign is no more?" asked Ikora.

"Yep."

"Tell us how this came to pass," said Zavala.

"Well, we entered the Hellmouth and had to fight our way through a crap ton of Hive. Then we had to kill a bunch of swordbearer Knights to cross a bridge and _then_ we had to kill Ir Yut, the Deathsinger. After that, Crota came out and we had to use a sword to kill him while being attacked by Knights and Ogres... Oh, and his Oversoul."

Cayde whistled appreciatively. Zavala shook his head. "To do all that and yet emerge triumphant… You Guardians must be made of sterner stuff than we previously thought."

"Thanks, sir… Uh, sorry, but can I go now?"

Zavala nodded. "Yes, Hayden, you are dismissed. You and your team will have the next few days off. You've earned it."

"Can _I_ have some time off?" asked Cayde. Zavala sighed.

Harley had begun to climb the stairs when Ikora called after him. "If you happen upon Eris, do not forget to tell her of your success... It's something she'll want to hear."

"Will do." Harley made his way through the Hall of Guardians and back up to the plaza. "Right... Where's everyone else at?"

"They're all in the mess hall," said Prism.

"Guess I'll head there, then." He started walking. He hadn't gotten far before he felt a hand on his arm. He turned. It was Eris Morn.

"Guardian."

"Hey...Eris." He got the strangest feeling when she looked at him, as though she was looking into him. Into him or through him, he couldn't be sure.

"...I felt it the moment Crota died," she said, "I wish I could have been there to witness his fall... In you and the others, I have found redemption. The Guardians who fell can sleep now, thanks to you... You finished what we started." Harley had no idea what to say. Luckily for him, she kept talking. "Walk with me, Guardian." She turned, moving away. He fell into step beside her. For a while, she did not speak. Then, she reached into the folds of her cloak and withdrew an orb alight with ghostly green flames. In its center hovered a dark shard. "Do you know what this is?" Harley shook his head. "It is a piece of the crystal that held Crota's soul."

 _Of course! I wasn't on that mission._ That's _why I didn't make the connection._ "How did you get it?"

She laughed bitterly. "I acquired it long ago, during my years beneath the Moon... It is a reminder of my suffering, but not the only reminder." Her hand reached up, brushing absently across her face. Harley was pretty sure he knew what she meant, but he was still surprised by her next words. "When the Hive took my eyes, I took theirs in return."

"You...took their eyes?"

Her lips twitched. "The eyes I ripped from them can see further than the eyes that I lost... The visions haunt me… As do the whispers."

"Whispers?"

She raised the orb ever so slightly. "They are much quieter now... Once, they spoke of many things. Now, though...they speak of only one... A name... _Oryx_."

Harley did not recognize the name, but a shiver went down his spine. "Oryx?"

Eris nodded. "You have slain the son, but the father remains...and he will come for us." She looked at him again, regarding him in that strange way of hers. "I fear we will have need of you again."

Harley was confused. "I don't understand… Why aren't you telling the others about this?"

Her lips quirked in the guise of a smile. "Who would you have me tell?"

Harley threw up his hands. "I don't know! The Vanguard? The Speaker? The rest of my team, for starters? I mean, I wasn't even here until the _end!_ "

Eris scoffed. "The Vanguard hardly listened the first time! Ikora did, but she was the only one... And do not mention the Speaker to me! He is a fool, blind to what is right in front of him! He should listen more and speak less. As for your friends… I shall leave it up to you to warn them... No one else can do what must be done... Today, I leave for the Reef."

Harley was nonplussed. "The Reef?" _Where did that come from?_

"I must seek audience with the Awoken Queen."

"Why?"

"Because Oryx is coming... And his wrath will rain down upon us until the very stars weep."

Harley didn't know what to say to that. _Clearly, she isn't messing around._ "Do you know when he will arrive?" asked Prism.

Eris shrugged. "It may be a year...or it may be a month. But he will not rest until his son is avenged."

Harley let out a long exhale. "This is heavy."

"An understatement, Guardian… Now, I must leave you."

Harley shook his head in denial. "We can't just sit here. We gotta tell the Vanguard or something."

It was Eris' turn to shake her head. "I went to them before. This time… I will try a different approach... I believe that Mara Sov will be less blind to my cause than your Vanguard."

"Then _I'll_ tell them."

Eris shrugged. "I have warned you. Now the knowledge of Oryx's vengeance is yours to share with whoever will hear it."

"We _will_ stop him. Like we stopped Crota."

Eris laughed. "Such a brave light. Prepare yourself for what comes next, Harley Hayden." With that, she departed.

Harley sighed and looked around. He quickly realized that he was in a section of the Tower he'd never seen before. "Great."

"Don't worry," said Prism, "I can guide you… Take your next right."

As he followed Prism's directions through the Tower, he speculated on what Eris had said. "Hopefully we'll have some time before this Oryx guy gets here, at least."

"Hopefully… Next left."

"I just can't believe this is happening. We just killed _one_ Hive god and now we have to kill _another_."

"That's life as a Guardian for you."

"It sounds like he's even _worse_ than Crota!"

"Well, I suppose it's like that Golden Age saying. 'Out of the frying pan, into the fire.'"

When they entered the mess hall, Harley spotted his friends gathered around a table at the other end. They all had food in front of them, and they were passing around a bottle of Rogue's smuggled alcohol, talking and laughing. Harley felt bad about interrupting them with the news he'd brought, but he knew this was the type of thing that was best heard sooner rather than later. _They're gonna hate me for this…_ As he approached the table, he saw their faces light up.

"Ace, man, you're back!" said Kaedro.

"Dude, you gotta try some of this!" said Fyr, holding out the alcohol excitedly.

"Enjoy the mission report?" asked Rae with a smirk.

Harley didn't smile. The high he'd had from killing Crota was long gone, a fact that his friends seemed to notice. Their faces fell. "Is something wrong?" asked Jade.

Harley sighed and sat in an empty chair next to Kaedro. "I just had a ruin in with Eris."

Fyr shook his head in exaggerated sympathy. "Aw, man. It's ok Ace. We get it... She's a fun-sponge."

Harley shook his head. "That's not it... I told her about defeating Crota. She thanked me, but then she warned me about another threat. Something worse."

"Worse than a Hive god?" asked Bazzle.

"Yeah. What could be worse than _that_?" asked Rogue.

"A bigger and badder Hive god," said Harley.

" _Wonderful_ ," said Kaedro. He grabbed the bottle from Fyr and took a long drink.

"Anything else we should know?" asked Bazzle.

"Yeah... His name is Oryx and he's Crota's father."

"Even better," muttered Kaedro.

"Also...he's coming here."

"And the hits just keep on comin'." Kaedro took another drink.

"So this Oryx wants revenge 'cause we killed his son?" said Rae, "...Ouch."

"He must be _hella_ pissed off," said Fyr.

"Understatement..." said Spark.

"So when's this guy supposed t' get here?" asked Rogue.

"Soon. Eris wasn't sure how soon but I feel like he's coming from pretty far away, so we have some time."

"Where's Eris now?" asked Jade.

"She's heading to the Reef to get help from the Queen."

Kaedro took another drink from the bottle he still held captive. "It'd be good to have the Awoken's help."

Harley snorted. "Fat chance! They don't like Guardians very much."

"Let's hope that Eris speaks to the Queen first and not Uldren..." said Bazzle.

"Who?"

"The Queen's brother, man," said Rogue, "I hear he's a real jerk."

"The Prince?" Rogue nodded. "Oh, he's a _major_ jerk! The guy held a _knife_ to my throat!"

"In all fairness, you _did_ pull a gun in the throne room," said Prism.

"So? He's _still_ super condescending."

"A _gun_ in the _throne_ room?" said Fyr, "Ohmygod please tell me the story!"

"No."

"Aww!"

"...Are the Vanguard aware of this...situation?" asked Bazzle.

"I don't think so. Eris didn't tell them... I kinda think she wants _me_ to tell them."

Kaedro hiccuped. "You'd better… Even if they don't believe you, _some_ warning's better than none." Harley nodded.

"They better not've given us any new missions," said Rae.

"They didn't. Zavala gave us some time off."

"Awesome!" said Fyr, "We can go to the City, play some Crucible…"

Rogue looked at Harley's face and laughed. "Looks like Ace's got somethin' else in mind."

"What is it, Harley?" asked Jade.

Harley sighed. "There's just so much going on… I mean, the Hive are still around and the Fallen are still around...and the Vex are still up to who knows what in the Vault of Glass."

Rae groaned. "Blasted Vault… You're right Ace. It needs to be dealt with."

Harley passed a hand over his face and turned to the rest of them. "Look, I know not all of you were here, but a while ago, after Fyr and Jade brought us back from Venus, Jade asked us about the Vault."

"I did?"

"We told her that we'd need a team of Guardians to take it on and now we _have_ a team... But I won't force any of you into coming... So if you don't mind another high-risk death mission, speak up now."

His friends exchanged looks. "I think we all know _I'm_ going," said Rae, "To echo Wrythal: Ace and I started this thing, so I'm gonna help him finish it."

Jade nodded. "I'm going too." She glanced at Harley briefly, blushing. "The knowledge the Vault holds is invaluable."

"Well, I already let Jade drag me there once," said Fyr, "So I guess another time can't hurt!"

"Wonderful," muttered Spark, "Later, we need to have a discussion about 'smart choices.'"

Kaedro cleared his throat. "Well, heck, I might as well go too. I mean, we just fought Crota! How bad can a musty old Vex hole be?"

"I think he might be a bit drunk," Prism whispered.

"Yeah," said Harley, "I got that impression too… Just roll with it."

"Well I ain't gonna chicken out here," said Rogue, "I'd never back down from a challenge!"

Everyone turned to look at Bazzle. The Titan seemed slightly uncomfortable. Finally, he spoke. "Expeditions to the Vault of Glass have been forbidden since before Osiris himself was a Vanguard."

Harley winced. "Please don't mention Osiris…"

Bazzle glanced at him briefly before continuing. "It is a place of untold perils and the last fireteam that attempted to discover its secrets… Well, we all know what happened to them." He sighed. "However, as you are all planning to go regardless, the best I can do is join you... Perhaps we will succeed where Kabr and his team have failed."

Kaedro slapped him on the back. "That's the spirit! We're gonna finish this thing all and for once!"

"Sure…" said Harley.

"When do we leave?" asked Jade.

"Well, we definitely need to do some prep first. We can use our off days for that. As for when... I think the end of the week. Or next week if we get a lot of missions. What do you think?"

Kaedro hiccupped again. "Fine with me!" The others nodded.

"Alright," said Harley, "It's a plan. If it doesn't happen soon, it's not likely to happen at all." He grabbed the bottle - ignoring Kaedro's protests - and took a drink. "Oryx is coming and we have a lot to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are at the end of the line. It felt like it went by so fast. Anyway, I'm thinking y'all can guess what happens in the next story. I hope you're excited. If you're up for leaving a comment, I'd like to know how this compared to the first story. What worked well, what could be better for next time, etc. Comments will sustain me for the hard cold writing months ahead. Also, thank you all so much for your support, whether you showed it through commenting, leaving kudos, or just plain reading. It means a lot :)
> 
> Keep on the lookout for the oneshots and I'll see you all in the third story!
> 
> \- TheWolfParadox


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